Review of That's Harassment

This Series Should Be Required to Warn Viewers Regarding Potentially Disturbing Content. Viewers who have been victims of Sexual Assault, Harassment, Molestation, or of any violation of sexual boundaries, might find the depictions disturbing and/or traumatic. A few years ago, in adherence to a safe workplace policy, the full staff for, what is now a former employer, was required to attend our annual, Anti-Harassment/Anti-Sexual Harassment Training, given by the company's legal counsel. For nearly two decades, I had attended this training, run by a pair of people, but, always the same attorney. Content was always the same, and did not include any media. I'd also had completed similar, online training, for another employer. However, THIS particular year, the lawyer logged into YouTube on her computer, and, linked her PC to a large monitor. She had cued up a couple of scenes from David Schwimmer's THAT'S HARASSMENT series, which I had never seen or heard of until then. Having also worked in the film industry for over ten years, I noticed immediately that the camera was not stationary, but, like a POV character in the scene, was moving. Thus, staff viewing these videos, were forced into the role of being a POWERLESS participant, a mute voyeur. Speaking for myself, this was absolutely unwanted, and, absolutely unwelcome. But, it was not clear to me at that moment, what was happening to me. After all, I was in my workplace, in a room that included people who had the power to fire me. The attorney had failed to "check-in" with the room (even discreetly, before hand), had made no disclosure regarding content, and, had given no warning, or heads up. Ironically, the That's Harassment YouTube videos triggered an involuntary, deeply repressed and powerful, trauma response in me that, slowly, but certainly sent me into a tail-spin. Within a few months, I had to leave that job.

I think that showing this video series, without disclosing to the viewer, that its content may be disturbing, is reckless and irresponsible.