“Agency Head Took Me to a Motel, Saying I Needed to ‘Learn About Men’” — Human Rights Commission Reports Cases of Abuse Against Female Actors

[ 4/26/2010 ]

The survey of human rights abuses against female actors released by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea on the 27th reveals the difficulties faced by women working in, or hoping to enter, the entertainment industry. It shows the painful experiences that can lie behind the glamorous lives seen on television. The survey had a limitation: it was difficult to select a sample representative of the wider population. Even so, it was the first time a government body had investigated and published these experiences in a detailed, systematic way, bringing greater clarity to problems previously reported only in part. ◇ Serious sexual harm reported = The commission commissioned the Korean Women’s Development Institute to examine human rights abuses through surveys and in-depth interviews involving 111 female actors, about 240 aspiring actors and 11 entertainment industry workers. Reports of sexual harassment and assault were prominent. Among the female actors, 45.3% said they had been asked to entertain people over drinks, and 60.2% said they had been asked to provide sexual favors to broadcasting figures or influential people. Another 31.5% reported unwanted touching of their chests, buttocks, legs or other parts of their bodies. Some said they had been directly asked to have sex (21.5%), while 6.5% reported experiencing acts such as sexual assault that could constitute crimes. The researchers also collected firsthand accounts. One actress in her mid-twenties said, “The head of my agency took me to a motel, saying I needed to learn about the world and about men. He had bought me lots of clothes, and I thought he was taking me home, but he drove me to a motel. When I asked why, he said that if I wanted to work in this industry…” Another actress in her twenties said, “My agency called me to dinners and drinking gatherings several times. Nothing ultimately happened, but the situations felt sleazy and deeply uncomfortable. Even talking about them is unpleasant.” An actress in her early twenties said, “A friend asked me to come out, and a man old enough to be my father asked me over dinner, ‘Will you be my girlfriend?’ He said, ‘I’ll let you do everything you want, and I’ll buy your youth.’” ◇ “Refusal brought disadvantages in casting” = Of the actors who said they had been asked to provide sexual favors, 48.4% reported disadvantages in casting, advertising work or other entertainment activities after refusing. Some 58.3% of actors believed that refusing to entertain people over drinks or provide sexual favors would put them at a disadvantage. “Female entertainers face a structural situation in which they may feel compelled to give up control over their bodies and sexual autonomy to secure work,” the commission said, describing the problem as particularly serious. Some 64.4% reported at least one experience of malicious online comments, the spread of personal information or damaging rumors, sexually humiliating insults, or stalking. ◇ Pressure over personal decisions about appearance = Many respondents had also been urged to diet or undergo cosmetic surgery. Among actors, 72.3% said they had been encouraged to diet, compared with 54.6% of aspiring actors. Aspiring actors were more likely to have been urged to undergo cosmetic surgery (58.7%) than working actors (55.6%). Verbal abuse or personal insults were reported by 63.6% of actors and 29.9% of aspiring actors. “People at the company keep saying things like, ‘Let’s do just a little more work on your eyes,’” one actress said. “The company pressures me to have surgery, and it causes me a lot of stress.” ◇ Unfair agency contracts = Asked about unfair dealings with agencies, 49.2% of actors said they had been pressured to appear at events without pay. Another 36.5% said their contracts had been transferred without their prior consent. Many entertainers also described excessive intrusions into their private lives, including agencies requiring approval for all activities, issuing one-sided instructions, and monitoring their every move. Reports included pressure to take part in promotional activities and events without pay, contracts transferred without consent, and extreme cases of control that respondents likened to confinement. “Even when I meet friends, I’m not allowed to meet men. I’m told to stay home,” one actress said. “The agency is possessive. It feels suffocating.”