Lights! Camera! Time’s up for sexual harassment across the nation. The wave of sexual harassment accusations has trickled off the red carpets of Hollywood and into the pockets of Louisiana.

The state of Louisiana paid nearly $1.3 million dollars in sexual harassment claims from 2009 to 2017.

The state reached 27 settlements, with payouts ranging from $5,500 to $150,000. The list compiled of employees from hospitals, universities, prisons and government agencies.

New Orleans’ civil court judge settled two claims totaling to $205,000.

Former represenative Clif Richardson, a Republican lawmaker from Baton Rouge, requested a $50,000 payment in 2012 after being accused of sexual harassment. He resigned a couple of months after settling the claim for health reasons.

Settlements are not an admission of guilt.

The money was paid through Louisiana’s self-insurance program and the office of risk management. The Associated Press and other news outlets also received payments for public records requests.

“We could have used that money for something else, like scholarships,” junior nursing major, Ikea Thomas said.

Sexual harassment has been a topic of conversation since Bill Cosby’s allegations resurfaced in 2014. It has now taken the entertainment industry by storm with recent allegations against Hollywood big leagues like Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Russell Simmons.

Many of those being accused have had many allegations brought against them by multiple men and women. Many of those allegations were of incidents reported years later.

“I think women should report things sooner. The faster you report, the less damage,” senior communication major, Antonio Stroman said.

The reasons for not reporting sexual harassment are endless. Some women like Weinstein’s accuser, Ashley Judd, were afraid of being blackballed and losing their jobs.

Men are not excluded from sexual violence. Actor Terry Crews revealed he was sexually assaulted by a Hollywood agent.

“It’s sad that men feel like that they can’t say anything. Their situations should be taken just as seriously,” senior communication major, Aisha Harbor said.

Hashtags with “#Me Too” and “#Time’s up” drowned social media as more women outside of the entertainment industry began sharing their stories of sexual violence and the lack of equality.

Some ULM students respected the “#Me Too” movement. “Calling out those who violate others can be a good thing. It should be encouraged,” senior risk management and insurance major, Skylar Sterling said.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, sexual asault is the most under-reported crime, but those stats could increase in wake of our new social climate.