Article stolen from goboiano
The #MeToo movement went viral last October to highlight the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace. While mainly a Twitter phenomenon highlighting sexual harassment issues in Hollywood, the movement quickly gained traction and seeped into real life venues.
It’s a movement that sheds light on how employers and people in power sexually abuse others that are trying to build a career. The exploitation of power and threat of losing a job causes victims to struggle with their toxic situation.
The #MeToo movement is largely concentrated within Western countries, but Japanese voice actress Atsuko Enomoto wants people to know that harassment is far too common in Japan’s entertainment industries.
Enomoto shared her experiences of sexual harassment and assault when she first debuted as a voice actress. Through a series of Tweets, Enomoto revealed that the early stages of her career were so toxic that she “vehemently wanted to quit” despite her passion. Enomoto is best known for voicing Yukino Miyazawa (His and Her Circumstances), Cure Egret (Precure Splash Star), and Kurumi (Star Angel Kurumi).
Enomoto shared that she had nowhere to turn during at the time and had to struggle with being a victim of sexual misconduct. However, Enomoto shares that she has “earned respect” in building her career and has been able to move out of those toxic situations.
Enomoto continued to share that her largest concern is the increase in children voice actors. Voice acting has become a “sparkling dream” for children, and Enomoto hopes that the industry will progress in protecting them from being targets of sexual abuse.
Enomoto reflected on how senior female voice actors have shaped her current actions. She shares that is careful while out drinking and always goes home by taxi, but more importantly, she never leaves a single girl alone in a room. Enomoto feels she has a responsibility to protect younger women from experiencing what she went through.
Despite her toxic experiences, Enomoto clarifies that Japan’s voice-acting industry is “very clean” compared to their other entertainment industries.
