REGINA – After years of dealing with sexual harassment at work, Ariana Donovan created an online whispering network for others with similar experiences.
Donovan, a Regina-based model, says she wanted to help others know who they should avoid in the industry.
“Over the years, there have been times when I have been underage and there are men in their 50s who tell me how sexy I am. It’s disgusting, ”says Donovan.
As stories of sexual harassment and violence increased with the private Facebook group she created, Donovan says she realized more needed to be done.
“I was very upset that, despite being an important issue, no one was really doing anything.”
Donovan is one of several women who have lobbied the Saskatchewan Party government to include sexual harassment in the province’s employment law.
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Last week, the government proposed to do just that by introducing legislation to make clear that any unwanted action of a sexual nature constitutes harassment.
The amendment also covers independent contractors, students and volunteers, as well as Uber drivers, musicians, models and the performing arts.
If passed, Saskatchewan would become one of five provinces to make specific reference to sexual harassment in legislation. The others are Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
“If they have a complaint, they can go to labor relations and workplace safety, who will assign it to someone and will go and issue a binding order to the employer, can impose a charge on the employer and have him finally fined,” says the Minister of Labor, Don Morgan.
“They will be able to have the full range of resources that are available under our legislation.”
Theresa Sokyrka, a Saskatoon-based singer-songwriter who rose to fame after being a finalist on the reality show “Canadian Idol,” started a petition to advocate for changes in labor law.
She says the new legislation will empower more women to come forward.
“We no longer have to be afraid of the concerts we take,” says Sokyrka.
He says he first experienced sexual violence at work as a minor cleaning tables in a restaurant. She was caught.
“In every situation in every restaurant I’ve worked at, there has been some kind of situation … I could write a whole book about that,” says Sokyrka.
“If you go to the management … then they better get rid of you now, because you do not agree with the operation of the entire industry. So you get used to being silenced every day. “
A recent survey by Toronto’s Woman Abuse Council suggests that women and girls fear reporting sexual harassment or violence at work for reasons including stigma, firing, impacting their career, or the perpetrator’s backlash.
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While Donovan and Sokyrka say they are happy for changes to take place in Saskatchewan, they want the legislation to do more. They want “sexual violence” to be included in their language and a promise of support for the mental health of the victims.
“In the modeling industry… minors are manipulated a lot. Having that support and resources available to them is very important, ”says Donovan. “It shouldn’t just be, ‘This happened, I’m sorry. This is what you can do to keep going. ‘ It has to be a real healing process. “
While both women continue to advocate for safe workplaces, they are hopeful that if more people share their stories, more changes will take place.
“It’s like when the banana clips came out in the ’80s. Saskatchewan got them in the’ 90s. We’re a little behind here,” says Sokyrka, adding that he’s less afraid to speak now that he’s 40 years old.
“We just have to look at our women ancestors, and all the women who have been fighting patriarchy, and find comfort that this will always be a fight we have to give our voice to.”
This Canadian Press report was first published on November 27, 2021.
© 2021 The Canadian Press
Reference-globalnews.ca