Two third of stuntwomen sexually harassed at work

Washington: Two-third of Hollywood's stunt women have been bullied or have experienced sexual harassment at work, according to an informal poll.

The same number, that is two-third of the 43 respondents, said they knew of others who had experienced on-the-job bullying or harassment, the Deadline reported.

The poll, conducted by veteran stuntwoman Julie Johnson, found that more often than not, the perpetrators were the shows' male stunt coordinators and that nearly 40 percent of the respondents had witnessed men putting on dresses and wigs to double for actresses and that 35 percent had witnessed "paint downs," the application of makeup to allow a white stunt person to double for a minority actor.

The poll, which offers a rare glimpse into the lives of women who work in Hollywood's most dangerous profession, found that more than 75 percent of the respondents said they'd been injured on the job.

Nearly 40 percent said they'd been injured more than three times, with two of the women saying they'd been injured "too many times to count."

Two of the respondents said they'd been "intentionally injured" on the job by fellow stuntmen, while one stuntwoman reported that she'd been the victim of an attempted rape or assault in the workplace. Nearly 25 percent of the respondents said they sometimes feel uncomfortable or unsafe on the job.

Johnson said that she hopes her survey will lead to "a better understanding of our lives in this business. Producers and the union have to work closer together on our behalf. It's long overdue."