Brazil: TV Presenter Rhiza Castro Fired From Station After Reporting Sexual Harassment
Journalist launches lawsuits against alleged abuser and former employer Record News
Location: Brazil, Sao Paulo
Date: October 23, 2023
After reporting persistent sexual harassment she faced from a station director at Record News, television presenter Rhiza Castro was fired by the network. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the harassment and ill-treatment faced by Castro. We commend the journalist for speaking publicly and pursuing legal action.
On October 23, journalist Rhiza Castro disclosed on Instagram that she was sexually harassed by a director at television station Record News and fired for bringing it to the attention of the company.
"I have come to use social media to talk about a very sad subject for me. My departure from the company where I worked as a presenter,” says Castro in a video on social media. “I suffered sexual harassment and retaliation for not giving in over a period of almost a year. When I was no longer healthy enough to bear the terror I was experiencing, I decided to report the case to HR. The result? I was fired two days after the complaint."
Castro has decided to take legal action, initiating two separate lawsuits. One labor lawsuit against the television network, Record News, and the other is a criminal case against the director, who Castro calls the “monster who harassed me, with the utmost nerve.”
Castro told the media outlet Splash she first filed a police report about the harassment on January 6th and retained the messages sent to her by the director. “[The director] would invite me to dinner, take pictures of me, send compliments, and say things like, 'My heart can't take it.' He even gave me gifts. There were many direct and indirect advances," she revealed.
Castro has partially won the labor lawsuit against her former employer Record News; an appeal remains pending. In the criminal case, the director reached a criminal settlement agreement, agreeing to an early sentence involving a fine or rights restriction. Both legal processes are confidential and subject to judicial secrecy.
"The lesson here is that, even though the accused's defense argued that the serious actions constituting harassment were acceptable workplace banter, they are not acceptable,” the journalist’s lawyer wrote in a statement. “Let companies and society in general understand that what was once considered the antics of boorish, unscrupulous men is now a serious offense."
Recent years have seen a growing number of reports in Brazilian news regarding women journalists facing sexual harassment, both from the public and within their workplaces. Just this month, during a live broadcast on RJ2 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, journalist Bianca Chaboudet experienced sexual harassment when an unidentified man attempted to kiss her without her consent.
The treatment of Rhiza Castro by her employers when she filed a complaint was nothing short of deplorable. Instead of offering support and conducting a thorough investigation into her claims, they terminated her employment. This deeply troubling response underscores the ongoing challenges that women journalists in Brazil continue to confront when they attempt to speak out against sexual harassment.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in strong support of Castro for her pursuit of justice, both against her harasser and Record News, and for her courage in openly discussing her ordeal. We remain optimistic that the final judgment will uphold the current court decision. Furthermore, we earnestly urge Record News to take substantial measures to enhance the safety of working conditions and implement a robust reporting system and redress procedures for women journalists employed there. Women in journalism must be provided with a workplace free from harassment and discrimination.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.