Joke Silva Calls for End to Sexual Abuse in Nollywood

Popular Nollywood actress, Joke Silva, has appealed for the end of all forms of sexual abuse and negative stereotypes against women in the film industry.

Silver, who is the President, Forum of Women in Film and TV, Nigeria, stated this at the Women in Film and TV Conference on Wednesday, September 18, 2014, in Lagos.

The veteran actress said, "The importance of women in the film industry is vital to moulding our nation, that they need a secure and conducive environment to survive."

"All type of sexual abuse in the film industry must be eliminated, as it affects the nation in numerous ways that you cannot imagine."

"It is also crucial that we eradicate all forms of negative stereotypes in films where we paint some things in a different way while in reality, it truly isn’t like that."

"We need more women representation in government to shape policies and strengthen our stance in the country,” she asserted.

Also, Anita Duckworth-Bradshaw, a life coach from Powerhouse Global Magazine, advised women who have experienced abuse in the industry to share their stories as a way to heal.

She noted that healing from past trauma would enable victims to make a necessary impact on the industry.

“There is a lot of damage that has been done to women, and we need to start talking about it to tackle the issues and help them heal.

We must address our pain to fully contribute to the industry and to lighten the burden on our minds by sharing our experiences.

“This would also help in eliminating the bad eggs in the industry and make sure that such bad elements are replaced with good ones,” she added.