two sidelined for harassment during the last Avignon festival
“Speech is free everywhere and it’s happy”, reacts this Wednesday morning the deputy director of the Avignon festival, Paul Rondin, guest of France Bleu Vaucluse, while the word is released in the world of theater, in the wake of the # MeTooThéâtre movement on social networks.
“Before, clearly, the word was not released”, he admits, but the festival management has set up an internal reporting system since the 2021 edition. “Two people were sidelined, out of nearly 1,500 people who worked for the festival last summer, detail Paul Rondin. And I hope that was the only two of course. In any case, it will serve as an example and it shows that there is no longer impunity “.
The Avignon festival has developed an internal listening system to allow victims to testify. “We have set up a principle of listening and investigation, since it is necessary for each testimony to verify that there is indeed something behind, in what proportion and if necessary aside the person suspected of harassment, inappropriate words or gestures “, explains the delegate director of the festival.
“This is not a police investigation, he pursues, it is an internal investigation of the company, and it happened to us that this investigation clearly shows, thanks to several testimonies, the person had to be kept away from the employees and in this case, on request to the person not more to come. “
“Today, anyone can go to a colleague, a referent and explain themselves in camera and while being protected, of a misunderstood or frankly inappropriate behavior and be immediately taken care of, protected and above all, d “prevent harm”, insists Paul Rondin.