Former director of TV Globo Cininha de Paula, 63, is a witness in the investigation into the case in which Marcius Melhem was accused of sexual harassment and spoke exclusively with Camila Brandalise, editor of universe and moderator of Sem Filter the topic was the topic of the show this Tuesday (28th).
During the conversation, Cininha explained that harassment situations have happened on a daily basis in her career and revealed some situations in which she has been a victim. When he was 25, he heard from a boss that he would only renew his contract if he had sex with him. “I didn’t know it was sexual harassment,” he said. Another situation involved blaming another director for a project they were working on together. “He held my arm so tight that I said, ‘Either you let go of my arm or I’ll go to the women’s police station,'” she says.
During the conversation, the exdirector repeatedly emphasized that this harassment does not only occur at Globo or on television, but in several places and in different professions. Globo was asked by the report to comment on Cininha’s statements, but no response came as of this text’s release.
“I’ve seen directors molest girls and boys as bargaining chips”
Cininha says that during her career at Globo, she has not only experienced, but witnessed, several situations of harassment. “I’ve seen a lot of directors harass young men and women as a bargaining chip to offer employment opportunities,” he says. “I did not speak, I did not denounce, it was my word against these men. What would I say and to whom?” he says.
The director says it’s a relief to talk about what she went through today. “And I would like to make an appeal: all people who have been harassed report themselves. Now we have support for it. No matter if it’s been a long time, tell someone, report it. We don’t, you don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
Cris Fibe: ‘People always think they’re exaggerating and blaming themselves’
Also during the Sem Filter program, journalist Cris Fibe, a specialist in genderbased violence, spoke about the guilt many women inflict on themselves after being victims of sexual harassment. She tends to look for justification to prevent the situation from repeating itself.
People always think they are exaggerating and blame themselves for what happened, even in very clear cases of nonconsensual sexual assault. We search within ourselves for an element that could have caused this in some way, even as an idea that we can control it and prevent it from happening again. Cris fiber
She also brought up the study of an American psychologist who says that in many cases the victim has difficulty seeing rape as a crime because in most cases it is committed by an acquaintance. “Selfblame is more pronounced in these cases because the aggression came from someone who thought they could be trusted. How will you restore trust in the world and in people, and how can you trust yourself afterwards?” she said.
Cris Guterres: “Humor is involved in harassment situations, but it is also a tool of violence”
Cris Guterres, columnist for universe, said during the broadcast that there are some strategies to recognize when harassment is occurring. The most important of these is that if you don’t enjoy it, that’s a sign of abuse.
In addition, Cris also emphasized that humor is often used to mitigate or mask sexual or moral harassment. For example, when you hear the embarrassing comment, “It’s just a joke.”
The humor factor plays a role in these situations and is also an agent of violence. A lot of violence is used, it makes everything more transparent, we cannot understand it. If it bothers you, call someone to talk to because it’s pushing the limits. Chris Gueterres
Cris Fibe also pointed out that sexual harassment is a typified crime in the Criminal Code and that faced with these situations, the woman should call 180, the federal government’s women’s support center, and locate a police station To the police report the occurrence and report it it to the labor authorities if the harassment took place in the work environment.
Moral harassment, although not classified as a crime in Brazil, is also a criminal offence. This type of harassment constitutes a labor offense and in these cases the woman must appeal to the ombudsman within the company, the union of the category and also to bodies such as the State Department of Labor and the Labor Court.
With the help of an attorney or a public defender, you can file a labor and civil lawsuit to seek moral damages, but it’s not yet in the criminal realm. Cris fiber
Sem Filter participants report instances of workplace harassment
Cris Guterres said during the show that he was a victim of harassment when he was 18 and dreamed of working as a TV presenter. At the time, she went to see a friend of her mother’s who suggested they meet at a hotel, explaining that she had to “suck a penis” to get what she wanted.
He received me in the room. I told him I wanted to be a TV presenter and he insisted I would never advance in my professional life unless I sucked a man’s penis. This phrase has been in my head for years. I got up and left. Chris Guterres
She also said she didn’t have the guts to tell anyone about the episode and also celebrated the fact that almost 20 years later she had achieved her goal without doing what she had been suggested to do in the past.
“I won and to this day I regret not having told anyone. Probably a lot of women have heard that phrase and they could have defended themselves much better than I defended then,” he said.
Cris Fibe also reported that in late 2021, when he decided to leave a traditional newsroom to work as a freelance journalist, he received several uncomfortable invitations from men who held prominent or senior positions.
About six or seven situations of men in power situations, in places that could get me a job, who in that sense flirted with me and offered very interesting opportunities and then tried to get me. Not only is this ridiculous or pathetic, it hurts because the guy is taking advantage of my vulnerable situation. Cris fiber
Camila Brandalise, presenter of No filteralso reported a situation in which a staff member in the editorial office of a magazine was extremely aggressive.
I had a colleague, he was a cameraman and I was a reporter, I went to ask him something and he asked why I was nervous and told me to stay on all fours because he was going to eat me. Camilla Brandalise
After the episode, Camila told the magazine’s editorinchief about the harassment, who, after saying that the situation was absurd, asked her not to tell the story to anyone.
“Then I went out and spread it to everyone. The guy came to apologize and said there was no reason for me not to talk to him about it. I said he was wrong and wouldn’t say how I should feel. If I had to spend a month or a year or never speak to him again, he would be embarrassed he shouldn’t play for me,” he concluded.
watch the No filter
When: Tuesdays and Fridays at 2 p.m.
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