In 1991, Anita Hill testified before Congress alleging that then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed her. Her testimony mirrored the #MeToo movement of today.
Now, the law professor is working on an app that seeks to provide training for survivors of violence while holding abusers accountable.
The idea came about after a survey by The Hollywood Commission, a nonprofit organization that examines the ethical culture and climate of the entertainment industry, found that survivors want the ability to track workplace harassment and abuse.
The survey included 9,600 former and current Hollywood workers. Ninety-three percent of participants said they wanted an app that could track workplace abuse.
Additionally, 91% of survey respondents said they wanted bystander training so others could appropriately respond to and report abuse they witness in the workplace.
Hill, who is a chairperson of the organization, shared the news at TheWrap’s annual Power Women Summit.
“All of the practices in the world are not going to work unless people trust them. So we’ve got to build a values-based system and, perhaps most importantly of all, we have to ensure accountability,” she said.
“We can be better in the entertainment industry. But to do that we have to make changes.”
The app will include a two-way anonymous messaging system where users can speak openly. If more than one complaint comes in about the same person, the person making the complaint will receive a notification.
“That way, we can offer individuals a chance to come forward with the support and know that someone else has experienced the same problem,” Hill explained.
The Hollywood Commission also wants to provide training for 450 workers in the entertainment industry who go out and train others.
There’s no official name yet, but the organization is looking to launch a beta version sometime during the first quarter of 2021.
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