#MeTOO: Alencier's apology is a small gesture that can trigger healing: WCC

When actor Alencier recently apologised to artiste Divya Gopinath through Kochi Times, for misbehaviour on the set of Aabhasam, Mollywood personalities and netizens welcomed it wholeheartedly, as much as Divya. After he apologised via the edition dated February 20, Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) has also come out through their social media page, calling it a gesture that can trigger a healing process.
The post reads, “Through the media the world has received news that Alencier, actor, has submitted a public apology to our colleague Ms Divya Gopinath, actor, who was subjected to sexual harassment by him on the sets of a film that they were working on together. This is only a small compensation for the humiliation and insecurity that a woman goes through. WCC condemns any form of sexual harassment and bullying, but this gesture of apology is one step in the healing process. Recognition of the inappropriateness and repulsive nature of such acts is essential. We hope this owning up of misbehaviour is a deterrent to such acts in future .”
It was in October, last year, that Divya joined the #MeToo movement, alleging that actor Alencier misbehaved with her on the set of the film Aabhasam. Later, she also filed a complaint against him at the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). After four months, when Kochi Times spoke to Divya recently about the status of the complaint, the actress said that she wants a public apology from Alencier. It’s on Wednesday that Alencier expressed his willingness for the same and extended an apology to Divya, through Kochi Times.