The Lead Consultant for Robert Smith Law Group Bobby Banson has called on the Ghana Actors Guild to put in place measures to halt sexual harassment of actors, popularly termed 'sex for roles', in the film industry.

Speaking on Showbiz A-Z on Joy FM, the private legal practitioner said that the leadership of the guild can take the initiative to create a legally binding written pledge on sexual harassment in collaboration with the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG).

This undertaking, he explained, will ensure that all producers, directors and others are prohibited from sexually harassing actors and abusing their power or face some consequences.

“The Actors Guild is the only form of union you (actors) have on paper, assuming they have a pact (with the producers and directors) that they will sign an undertaking, that the moment any actress or actor complains that you have attempted to or sexually harassed him or her, then they are going to blacklist you,” Mr Banson said.

He noted that this would give the guild some power to protect its members from the prey in the industry and go after whoever flouts that pact.

Mr Banson said that although this may not completely eradicate the problem, it will help slow down the harassment until stricter punishments are put in place.

“At least you must start from somewhere, because once they put it in writing, it becomes binding. Secondly, is it possible it is put on every movie set that sexual harassment is not encouraged on this set? Is it possible? That is done. Those are some of the things that we can champion to ensure that at least it is in their faces,” he noted.

His comment comes after veteran actress Akofa Edjeani said on Showbiz A-Z nearly two weeks ago that she lost a movie role because she refused to sleep with a film director.

After the show, another actress (name withheld), shared her story with the production team. 

According to her, she was introduced to a movie producer by a friend who attends the same church as him. 

She said the man liked her instantly and asked her to come over to his office for an audition the next day. 

What happened next is synonymous with a lot of stories that have been told about sexual exploitation in Ghanaian entertainment.