Misogyny in music industry ‘endemic’, says report
A damning new report from MPs has demanded urgent action to tackle “endemic” misogyny and discrimination in the UK music industry.
The Women and Equalities Committee’s (WEC) Misogyny in Music report concludes the business is a “boys’ club” where sexual harassment and abuse is common, and the non-reporting of such incidents is high. It adds that victims who do speak out either struggle to be believed or may find their career ends as a consequence.
“Sexual harassment and abuse in the music industry remains widespread,” reads the report. “Aggressors act with impunity while victims who report actions against them very often face further harm by doing so. It is disappointing but not surprising, that non-reporting is high.
“Organisations should not assume a low incidence of reported cases means they do not have perpetrators of harassment and sexual abuse within their employment. They should instead reflect on why anonymous surveys in the industry return high figures of misconduct, yet their internal surveys do not.”
In addition, the report, which followed an inquiry into misogyny in the music industry, found that women encounter limitations in opportunity, a lack of support and persistent unequal pay, while female artists are routinely undervalued and undermined. These issues are intensified for women facing intersectional barriers, particularly racial discrimination.
“Women’s creative and career potential should not have limits placed upon it by ‘endemic’ misogyny which has persisted for far too long within the music industry”
“Women’s creative and career potential should not have limits placed upon it by ‘endemic’ misogyny which has persisted for far too long within the music industry,” says WEC chair Caroline Nokes MP. “Our report rightly focuses on improving protections and reporting mechanisms, and on necessary structural and legislative reforms.
“However, a shift in the behaviour of men – and it is almost always men – at the heart of the music industry is the transformative change needed for talented women to quite literally have their voices heard and be both recognised and rewarded on equal terms.”
The findings suggest that sexual harassment and abuse is more prevalent in particular environments, such as live music venues.
“Musicians and staff commonly mix with audience members and other workers in late-night venues, and informal settings such as festivals and tour buses, often with the presence of alcohol and drugs,” it notes. “We heard that sexual harassment is ‘rife in these environments’, that ‘musicians are at risk from audience members, paying or non-paying guests, and their principals’ and that the “anonymity in these spaces and lack of intervention by venue security leads to a toleration of such behaviours and increased risk to female musicians’.
“Many live music venues lack facilities and structural support for women working in the industry”
“Many live music venues lack facilities and structural support for women working in the industry. Respondents to the Musicians’ Union survey reported being treated as “one of the lads”, “expected to share rooms with colleagues, male and female whilst on tour” and in some cases were asked to share beds. Often venues lack multiple changing facilities and women are expected to change in front of their male colleagues, in the toilets or in their car which is ‘uncomfortable and unprofessional’ and ‘raises safety concerns’.”
The cross-party committee of MPs has made a series of recommendations, including that public funding and licensing of music venues should be made conditional “on those premises taking steps to tackle gender bias, sexual harassment and abuse”.
“This should include the training of venue staff by accredited organisations that work in the sector,” it continues. “The government should review international examples, such as the measures introduced in France, Ireland and Barcelona, and introduce similar policies in the UK. The government should consider making funding available to smaller venues to enable them to meet this condition.
“The music industry needs to improve its facilitation of mixed groups. As a minimum, venues that host live music should provide adequate, separate dressing room facilities for women and gender nonconforming musicians.
“Accreditation for security staff to work at live music venues should include training on dealing with discrimination, sexual harassment and abuse”
“Security Industry Authority accreditation for security staff to work at live music venues should include training on dealing with discrimination, sexual harassment and abuse. That training should be survivor-led and provided by accredited organisations dedicated to improving safety for women.”
Moreover, the committee is calling on ministers to take legislative steps to amend the Equality Act to ensure freelance workers have the same protections from discrimination as employees and bring into force section 14 to improve protections for people facing intersectional inequality.
It also recommends the government should legislate to impose a duty on employers to protect workers from sexual harassment by third parties – a proposal the government initially supported and then rejected last year – and says it should urgently bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the use of non-disclosure and other forms of confidentiality agreements in cases involving sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, bullying or harassment, and discrimination.
The WEC report adds that the establishment of a single, recognisable body – the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) – will help to shine a light on unacceptable behaviour in the music industry and may reduce the risk of further harm. However, it advises that it is “not a panacea for all of the problems in the industry” and “time will tell whether it has the powers required to drive the changes needed”.
“LIVE’s members will challenge misogynistic behaviour and build on existing measures in place that support the report’s recommendations”
In response to the report, Jon Collins, CEO of trade body LIVE, tells IQ: “The live music sector recognises the urgent need to tackle misogyny and discrimination in the music industry, making it an inclusive workforce for everyone.
”LIVE fully supports the report’s recommendation to establish the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) to set industry-wide standards on acceptable behaviour to reduce the risk of further harm and will continue to support in its development.
“LIVE’s members will challenge misogynistic behaviour and build on existing measures in place that support the report’s recommendations. We will continue to work with government to eradicate misogyny, harassment and abuse to ensure the UK’s live music sector is a safe space for all.”
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Activist compensated in gig discrimination case
A disabled Italian concertgoer has been awarded compensation after taking legal action against a venue and promoter for discriminatory conduct.
Activist Valentina Tomirotti, who suffers from diastrophic dysplasia, attended a concert by singer Coez at Verona Arena in September 2019 in her wheelchair, but was unable to see any of the show when people stood up around her.
“I was in the audience with a companion, without protection,” she tells Corriere della Sera. “At the arena, seats for the disabled are at the beginning and end of each row of chairs in the stalls. As soon as the music started, people stood up. I complained to the security people because it was dangerous for a person in a wheelchair and I couldn’t see anything.
“It was an indie music concert and obviously people were dancing. I stayed until the end but I really didn’t see the concert.”
The organisers must find suitable solutions, the disabled must not be discriminated against
Tomirotti sued the venue, the Arena Foundation and promoter Vivo Concerti, but lost the case in 2020 and was ordered to pay court costs after a judge affirmed there were giant screens at the venue and argued it was not mandatory to see concerts, since music is listened to. Tomirotti appealed the ruling with the assistance of human rights and civil liberties organisation, the Luca Coscioni Association.
In the meantime, a similar lawsuit was filed by Paralympic athlete Sofia Righetti, who had experienced the same issue when attending an Evanescence show at the venue a few weeks earlier. She was awarded €3,500 in damages in March this year.
Tomirotti has now reached a similar settlement in her civil case, and will receive €3,000 compensation from the defendants as part of the agreement. The venue must also install two wheelchair platforms inside the arena by 31 December.
“I filed an appeal with the Court of Brescia and, thanks to Sofia Righetti’s precedent, we reached an agreement,” she says. “Now the platform must be built… The organisers must find suitable solutions, the disabled must not be discriminated against.”
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