The Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation launched its third annual awareness campaign at the Harquail theatre, with a drama skit and poetry reading focusing on this year’s theme of sexual harassment with the slogan, “I am not the one who should be ashamed.”

Through the year-long campaign, the Foundation hopes to raise awareness of the issue, while giving victims the confidence to speak out. The campaign also aims to educate the public as to exactly what constitutes sexual harassment.

This year’s campaign will involve television and radio appearances and various community-outreach initiatives to raise awareness about sexual harassment.

“We are aware that sexual harassment is a prevalent issue in the Cayman Islands,” said Mr Rayle Roberts, Chairperson of the Foundation, “and we are hoping to get the public talking about it so that victims learn that their suffering should not go unreported. Sexual harassment, in any form, should not be accepted in our community,”

The campaign also urges the public to support legislation that seeks to prevent sexual harassment and speak to their employer about implementing a policy against sexual harassment in the workplace.

Kevin Creary and Dara Flowers-Burke were MC’s during the launch evening at the Harquail Theatre.  There was a poetry reading by Nasaria Suckoo – Chollette, and also a musical performance by the UCCI Choir. There was also a drama sketch put together by  members of Women’s Media Watch which had the aim of drawing attention to some of the issues surrounding sexual harassment.

The sketch involved three characters working in a typical office environment. There was Mr. Brown, the boss, and two employees named Aliyah and Roberta.

Aliyah decides to talk to Roberta about some of Mr. Brown’s comments which have made her feel uncomfortable. “You can’t take it seriously…men will be men,” she answers. “You like it here, don’t you? You don’t want to be regarded as a troublemaker, do you?” Roberta continues.

During the next scene, Mr. Brown is talking to Aliyah: “You can get on here, if you use all your assets,” he says. The spotlight then picks out Aliyah, who is also clearly feeling uncomfortable, “I’m confused,” she says.

The next thing we see is Roberta approaching Mr. Brown for a “little talk” about her colleague. She thinks it’s foolish for Mr. Brown to waste his time with his unwanted advances towards Aliyah, but the twist is she is not confronting him, rather she is making it clear that she is more than willing to play along with his game instead.

The final scene is where Aliyah is dancing to some music in the office – thinking she is by herself, but Mr. Brown starts joining in with the dance, beginning to touch her as he does so, but its clear that his advances are unwelcome.

At that point the play stopped, and the houselights went up as the actress playing Roberta asked the audience a series of questions about the sketch.

“What is it that makes Mr. Brown feel that this sort of behaviour is all right?” she asked. Answers ranged from the ‘attitude of other men,’ to, ‘the attitude of her colleague,’ to the prevailing culture.

“What was Aliyah feeling?” she asked next. Actress playing Aliyah answered according to her character’s feelings: “Confused, and under pressure.”

The obvious power difference implicit in the boss and employee relationship, it was agreed, was a significant factor in the inappropriate nature of Mr. Brown’s advances.

Other answers were: “It was unsolicited. It makes the other person uncomfortable.”

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