• 27
  • April
    2011

Various television channels have built strong platforms for their explicitly sexual shows and music videos. However, even though the performances are sexual in nature, that does not excuse unwanted sexual attention from the crew during production.

Unfortunately, it happens anyway. A former Black Entertainment Television (BET) producer is filing a lawsuit stating that she was sexually harassed, forced to work in a hostile work environment and then fired for being pregnant.

The harassment started when the BET producer, Tameika, was working with a camera operator, Derek, in 2009. At that point, Derek repeatedly showed Tameika footage that he had shot. In the footage, she was wearing a miniskirt and walking up a flight of stairs.

According to the lawsuit, when she questioned what he was doing, he "grabbed and repeatedly rubbed his crotch, began to moan and said it was because he loved her butt, that she was sexy and that she did not know what he was going to do to her."

She left and reported the harassment to BET management. Although she was assured that she would not need to work with him again, Derek and Tameika were paired together again the next year. When she complained to her boss, she was removed not only from the hostile situation but also from her position. She claims she was wrongfully terminated out of retaliation, and that she was discriminated against because of her gender and pregnancy.

Tameika is worried about having a child without having a stable job. However, the attorney who is defending her said, "We will prove at trial that BET fired [Tameika] because she had the guts to stand up against sexual harassment." Hopefully their continued work will bring justice to the situation and help set a precedence that discourages harassment in the workplace.

Source: Daily Mail, "Pregnant TV producer claims BET fired her for complaining about 'pervy' cameraman on Nicki Minaj shoot," Daily Mail Reporter, 19 April 2011