This piece is part of an issue about abuse, harassment, and sexism in the theatre. You can read other #TheatreToo stories here.
Those who’ve experienced sexual harassment or abuse are encouraged to use the reporting channels provided by their employer—that is, provided that such structures have been put in place and are functioning robustly. For many survivors, though, the following resources could prove invaluable. They were compiled by members of Theatre Communications Group’s Conference and Fieldwide Learning team (including Devon Berkshire, Hannah Fenlon, and Callan Gies). The following list is an edited version of a longer list, which is available here.
HOTLINES
National Sexual Assault Hotline, 800-656-HOPE (4673)
A national hotline, operated by RAINN, that serves people affected by sexual violence. It automatically routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider.
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 212-714-1141
A coalition of programs that document and advocate for victims of anti-LGBT and anti-HIV/AIDS violence/harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, police misconduct and other forms of victimization.
The Recovery Village, 844-207-6576
This 24/7, toll-free hotline is open for those suffering post-traumatic stress disorder.
Actors Equity Association, 212-869-8520
This hotline is open to complaints and questions from AEA members about sexual misconduct.
Actors Fund Entertainment Assistance, 212-221-7300
This program functions as an entryway and guide through The Fund’s many programs when you’re facing personal or work-related problems. It is also a conduit for emergency financial assistance in times of pressing need or in response to catastrophic events.
SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR SURVIVORS
AbuseLawsuit.com
This organization provides resources and legal support for victims and survivors of institutional sexual abuse.
BetterBrave
A guide for targets of sexual harassment, presenting a definition of sexual harassment and listing options and rights.
Equal Rights Advocates
A national legal enforcement organization with helplines and online “Know Your Rights” materials, including a Sexual Harassment in the Office Toolkit.
Human Resources for the Arts
Provides possible mediation assistance for non-criminal sexual harassment situations. This is a place to start for those who are experiencing an unsafe or uncomfortable work environment.
The ‘It Happened to Alexa’ Foundation
A Legal Foundation supporting rape survivors through the trauma of the criminal trial.
Project Callisto
“Project Callisto is creating technology to combat sexual assault, empower survivors, and advance justice – an online sexual assault reporting system. This resource is currently only available on college and university campuses, but is in the process of expanding to other fields.”
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
The nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
Resource for Male Survivors
A center of resources and support for Male survivors. They also offer weekend recovery retreats across the United States.
tEQuitable
An independent, confidential platform to address issues of bias, discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
Transgender Sexual Violence Project
A program that works to provide direct services to transgender, gender non-conforming and gender non-binary survivors of sexual assault. Their website includes webinars, publications, and toolkits directly curated for transgender survivors.
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project provides support and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth.
The Recovery Village
In addition to a hotline, this organization provides resources for people suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and for families and friends looking to support a person struggling with drug or alcohol addiction.
GENERAL RESOURCE HUBS
Modern Alliance
A coalition of organizations, researchers, and creatives working together to protect people from destructive, predatory behavior, to fund research, and to provide a resource guide and other content.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
A center of resources, organizations, and eLearning surrounding the topic of sexual violence.
Time’s Up
A source of resources for support and action. The women leading Time’s Up partner with leading advocates for equality and safety to improve laws, employment agreements, and corporate policies; help change the face of corporate boardrooms and the C-suite; and enable more women and men to access our legal system to hold wrongdoers accountable.
US Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public Website
Provides a quick search of sex offenders as well as information on education and prevention.
We Said Enough
We Said Enough includes curated stories from harassment and assault victims.
THEATRE-SPECIFIC RESOURCES
The Actors Fund
A national human service organization for everyone in the performing arts and entertainment, providing free, confidential counseling services to those impacted by sexual harassment and referrals to appropriate resources. The Actors Fund also conducts trainings for employers and unions on understanding and preventing sexual harassment. Other programs include emergency financial assistance, affordable housing, health care and insurance counseling, senior care, and secondary career development.
Intimacy Directors International
A nonprofit organization that works to ensure that scenes of intimacy are handled in a professional manner that adheres to the highest standards of artistry and safety.
Let Us Work
A project run by Rachel Dart that began as a call to action to theatre practitioners, asking them to do more to protect their creative workers from sexual abuse, and has evolved into a survey of theatremakers to collect statistics on harassment.
Not in Our House/Chicago Theatre Standards
A Chicago-based movement founded to fight sexual discrimination and harassment as well as gender-based violence in the theatre community.
Public Theater Resource Page
A comprehensive collection of resources on the topic of sexual misconduct provided by a NYC based theatre company.
Philadelphia Theatre’s Code of Ethics
The Philadelphia Theatre called together a community of artists to create a Code of Ethics. This is the collaborative platform for the Code of Ethics they are in the process of outlining.
Theatrical Intimacy Education
A group of consultants, researchers, educators, and stage movement specialists, developing and teaching best practices for staging theatrical intimacy. Theatrical Intimacy Education works to empower artists with the tools to ethically, efficiently, and effectively stage intimacy and sexual violence in educational theatre.
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC)
The theatrical union that unites, empowers, and protects professional stage directors and choreographers throughout the U.S.
TRAINING
Bringing in the Bystander
This prevention program emphasizes a bystander intervention approach and assumes that everyone has a role to play in ending violence against women. In addition to the prevention goal, the program has a research component which seeks to measure the effectiveness of the prevention program with different constituencies.
Creating Safe Spaces
Helps organizations, creative leaders and communities learn and develop best practices with issues surrounding sexual and other workplace harassment from a supportive, artist-specific perspective. It works specifically with creative, non-traditional work environments and spaces to train, coach, and foster open dialogue, policy, and guidelines surrounding the prevention of sexual and other work-related harassment.
Center for Anti Violence Education (CAE)
For the past 43 years, CAE has run comprehensive violence prevention programs for individuals and organizations through a combination of education, physical empowerment, advocacy, and leadership development. CAE works with marginalized communities to break cycles of violence.
Hollaback!
Partners with bystander program Green Dot to develop tools to help you intervene when you see harassment happen on the street and in other public spaces. The Five D’s are methods you can use to support someone who’s being harassed, emphasize that harassment is not okay, and demonstrate to people in your life that they too have the power to make the community safer.
EEOC Respect in the Workplace
A training program focusing on respect, acceptable workplace conduct, and behaviors that contribute to a respectful, inclusive, and ultimately more profitable workplace. It is customizable for different types of workplaces and allows employers to review their own harassment prevention policies and procedure.
