THERE have long been whispers of prevalent sexual harassment in the entertainment industry, but none have dared come forward with public disclosures. That changed this week when actor and singer Meesha Shafi alleged that her peer, Ali Zafar, sexually harassed her.

Several more women have since said that they too were subject or witness to similar behaviour. Some have provided more details than others, but there are concerns of a pattern emerging. Many questions need to be answered, for Mr Zafar stands accused of a serious crime.

Given the exhaustive debates since the #MeToo campaign began, one would expect considered responses. Instead, it is dispiriting to witness many within the industry peddle the same tired tropes of shaming and blaming victims, and assumptions that sexual predators can be easily discerned. It is ignorant to pretend that conditioning and social pressures have no effect on victims’ ability to speak out, that sexual harassment cannot intersect with other disputes, or that ‘hardworking family men’ are precluded from scrutiny. It is particularly egregious given the example of a local start-up handling allegations against its CEO more effectively only a few days prior.

There was physical evidence in the latter’s case, but the fact remains that most claims can only be corroborated by testimonies that women — whether established or emerging professionals — have the most to lose from.

Read: Pakistani women use hashtag to expose scale of sexual abuse

Abuse of power in entertainment is particularly insidious given that informal work conditions are taken by some as a licence to exploit. This sector, and in particular its offshoot music industry, must step out of its own insularity and begin to emulate their Western counterparts in the post-Weinstein era. For better or worse, the public looks up to entertainers who, as such, have a civic responsibility to send the right signals. Being called out is not enough.

Sorely needed is an elected body of music industry representatives and outsider experts to draw up a code of conduct and audit productions. Amending harassment legislation to grant the federal ombudsperson suo motu powers to investigate and arbitrate such claims would also show that harassment in any quarter will not be tolerated and will be followed by serious sanctions.

For too long, in the absence of accountability and restorative justice, women’s experiences of abusive men have either been hushed up or relegated to ‘whisper networks’. The industry must make it clear that, when women do speak up, their voices will be heard.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2018