To give film and tv workers key worker status.
To give film and tv workers key worker status.
The Issue
As the COVID crisis seems to worsen and a potential second spike and second lockdown looms on the horizon, our society will be faced with many tough situations.
Domestic abuse rose during lockdown with calls to Refuge rising by 80% and a Panorama documentary raised some worrying facts;
“Two-thirds of women in abusive relationships have suffered more violence from their partners during the pandemic, according to an investigation by the BBC’s Panorama.
Three-quarters of victims also say the lockdown has made it harder for them to escape their abusers.“
By no means am I suggesting that a jam-packed TV schedule is a miracle cure for mental health issues, loneliness, or the danger posed by abusive partners and family members but it can provide a distraction, offer company and even a lifeline for some isolated individuals locked in at home. Important storylines, such as the upcoming murder of a domestic abuse victim by her husband in Eastenders can still reach people in their homes, raising awareness of an important issue and also spur someone into action to get the help they need or assist a friend who might find themselves in a similar situation.
Equally, the programmes we make can provide escapism when the great British public is finding the constant barrage of disconcerting and scary headlines overwhelming.
As a member of the TV and Film industry I am creating this petition to put our industry on key worker status. Entertaining the country, through film, drama and live programming could have a drastic impact on the data above.
As an industry we have been one of the few industries who have worked through all of the restrictions and created myriad solutions; the creation of a COVID supervisor, companies such as On Set Sanitation Control who have been anti viral fogging locations and film sets to keep our working environments safe, to name a few.
I urge you to sign this petition to put our industry, my industry, many of whom were left behind with the furlough scheme and received no financial help, myself included, to be included as key workers, alongside Amazon drivers and bank staff.
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The Issue
As the COVID crisis seems to worsen and a potential second spike and second lockdown looms on the horizon, our society will be faced with many tough situations.
Domestic abuse rose during lockdown with calls to Refuge rising by 80% and a Panorama documentary raised some worrying facts;
“Two-thirds of women in abusive relationships have suffered more violence from their partners during the pandemic, according to an investigation by the BBC’s Panorama.
Three-quarters of victims also say the lockdown has made it harder for them to escape their abusers.“
By no means am I suggesting that a jam-packed TV schedule is a miracle cure for mental health issues, loneliness, or the danger posed by abusive partners and family members but it can provide a distraction, offer company and even a lifeline for some isolated individuals locked in at home. Important storylines, such as the upcoming murder of a domestic abuse victim by her husband in Eastenders can still reach people in their homes, raising awareness of an important issue and also spur someone into action to get the help they need or assist a friend who might find themselves in a similar situation.
Equally, the programmes we make can provide escapism when the great British public is finding the constant barrage of disconcerting and scary headlines overwhelming.
As a member of the TV and Film industry I am creating this petition to put our industry on key worker status. Entertaining the country, through film, drama and live programming could have a drastic impact on the data above.
As an industry we have been one of the few industries who have worked through all of the restrictions and created myriad solutions; the creation of a COVID supervisor, companies such as On Set Sanitation Control who have been anti viral fogging locations and film sets to keep our working environments safe, to name a few.
I urge you to sign this petition to put our industry, my industry, many of whom were left behind with the furlough scheme and received no financial help, myself included, to be included as key workers, alongside Amazon drivers and bank staff.
34
Petition created on 20 September 2020