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Nearly all of the women who responded to the survey (94%) say they have experienced some form of harassment or assault, often by an older individual in a position of power over the accuser.

Worse, more than one-fifth of respondents (21%) say they have been forced to do something sexual at least once.

The author uses logos to show the statistics of how people of position and title take advantage of those below them for their own desires. The sick people who do those succeed a majority of the time and that is solely because of the fact that the victims are told that that no one will believe them and they don't ever speak out.

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The first number you see is 94% - and your eyes pop with incredulity.

But it's true: Almost every one of hundreds of women questioned in an exclusive survey by USA TODAY say they have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault during their careers in Hollywood.

For months now we've all been hearing the horrifying stories of abuse from marquee names like Rose McGowan and Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd and Salma Hayek, about what powerful men in Hollywood, like movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, allegedly did to them and other women over decades.

Unwanted sexual comments and groping. Propositioning women. Exposing themselves. Coercing women into having sex or doing something sexual. And, especially pertinent to showbiz, forcing women to disrobe and appear naked at an audition without prior warning.

It's been deeply disturbing reading, but so far the powerful stories of accusers outnumber plain, hard facts about the extent of the problem in Tinseltown. Until now.

Working in partnership with The Creative Coalition, Women in Film and Television and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, USA TODAY surveyed 843 women who work in the entertainment industry in a variety of roles (producers, actors, writers, directors, editors and others) and asked them about their experiences with sexual misconduct.

The results are sobering: Nearly all of the women who responded to the survey (94%) say they have experienced some form of harassment or assault, often by an older individual in a position of power over the accuser.

Worse, more than one-fifth of respondents (21%) say they have been forced to do something sexual at least once.

Only one in four women reported these experiences to anyone because of fear of personal or professional backlash or retaliation. This reporting rate holds true for all forms of misconduct addressed in the survey, including being forced to do something sexual.

Of those who did report their experiences, most say reporting did not help them; only 28% say their workplace situation improved after reporting.

One surprising finding: Even though America has been arguing about workplace sexual harassment ever since the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas Supreme Court hearings in 1991, more than one-third of women surveyed weren't even sure that what happened to them was sexual harassment.

Still, even though the survey shows that older and more experienced women have been subjected to more incidents of sexual misconduct, younger women with less than five years of experience in the industry are more likely to blow a whistle on misconduct.

And that suggests there's a chance the status quo - misconduct allowed to flourish because few complain and no one in authority does anything about it - might change in the future as younger women increasingly enter the entertainment workforce and begin asserting influence.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center, which maintains a large library of related surveys on the subject of workplace sexual harassment, says USA TODAY's survey is a first for its focus on Hollywood and for its comprehensiveness.

As with most surveys, there are limitations that could affect interpretations. It was conducted online between Dec. 4, 2017, and Jan. 14 after emails were sent to members of The Creative Coalition and Women in Film and Television inviting them to participate. As a self-selected sample of respondents, it is not scientifically representative of the entire industry, let alone the broader national population of women working in all industries.

Thus, says Anita Raj, director of the Center for Gender Equity and Health at the University of California, San Diego's medical school, the survey should be treated with some caution. But she believes that the results overall are "credible and important" and that people should pay attention.

"The percentages (in USA TODAY's survey) are higher than what we typically see for workplace abuses, but we know there is variation by the type of workplace," Raj says. "But it makes sense to me that we would see higher numbers (in the entertainment industry)," where the "casting couch" has prevailed for decades and is considered "normal."
Further reading::USA TODAY's sexual harassment in Hollywood survey methodology explained
Women may not always know the line between the demands of showbiz and what constitutes sexual harassment, she says. In fact, Raj says, kissing someone without their consent is actually a crime in California, which, she notes, once happened on live TV in front of millions: when Adrien Brody, who won the best-actor Oscar in 2003, grabbed presenter Halle Berry and dip-kissed her at the podium before his acceptance speech. She was not happy, she acknowledged years later, but everyone else just laughed.

"Yes, I'd like to see more solidity in the scientific aspects of how the data was collected. But 94% does not seem shocking. It says this is ubiquitous in Hollywood," Raj says. "There is a lack of clarity on what constitutes professional interactions in this (Hollywood) context. So it wouldn't surprise me if in fact it were 94%."

Most often, it's someone making unwelcome sexual comments, jokes or gestures: 87% of respondents say this has happened to them at least once. Also, 69% say they've been groped (slapped, pinched or brushed in a sexual way) at least once, and 64% say they have been propositioned for sex or a relationship at least once.

"It happens so frequently that it's just the functioning normal," says a camera operator in her early 40s. "For me, this includes everything from misogynistic or sexual comments made over a headset while working, to blatant grabbing to comments about my body. I've spent the last 20 years accepting it as the price of doing business in a 'man's job.' "

Far fewer respondents say they've been shown sexual pictures without consent (39%) or have been on the receiving end of someone exposing themselves (29%).

A small but still significant number (10%) of the women in the survey say they have been forced to appear naked - unexpectedly - during auditions or in the course of their professional work at least once.

Jennifer Lawrence has described how, when she was just starting out, a female producer insisted she do a nude lineup with other nude women during an audition to shame her into losing weight.

And Melissa Gilbert has said she once ran out of an audition in tears because a director intentionally tried to humiliate and degrade her by making her do a "dirty" sex scene.

"There are also little ways women get manipulated into showing more of their bodies on camera," says a female actor in her early 40s. "Like, I had a friend who was on an HBO show and the producers called her the night before she's supposed to start shooting and tell her that if she didn't do full frontal nudity (which they didn't state that they expected at her audition), they would demote the role from a recurring to a one-time guest star."

More than one-third (35%) of respondents say they have been asked to hold work activities or meetings in inappropriate environments such as hotel rooms or bedrooms. Recall that many of Weinstein's accusers asserted that sexual misconduct took place after he lured them to hotel rooms on the pretext of a business meeting.

"My boss took me to dinner to apologize for being incredibly insulting," says a producer in her early 60s. "After dinner he told me to come back to the studio but instead took me to his apartment (that was behind the studio). He then asked me to give him (oral sex). I refused. To which he said, 'Why do you think I took you to dinner?' "

One-fifth (20%) of respondents say they have been put in a quid pro quo position: provide sexual acts with the implicit or explicit promise of promotions or other forms of career advancement. Also, 65% of respondents say they witnessed others advance professionally as a result of sexual relationships with employers or managers.

"After a job interview over lunch, my potential new boss walked me to my car and put his arm around my waist and pulled me very close to him," says a writer in her late 40s. "I pushed him away and said I'm not interested in this (job). I came home and cried. I really thought I was being interviewed for a partnership role with equity."

More women older than 40 say they were asked to hold meetings in hotel rooms (41% of age 40 to 49) than women younger than 30 (31%).

Similarly, those with more than 20 years experience were more likely to say they were put in a sex-for-advancement position (28%) than women with less than five years in the industry (11%).

Women younger than 30 were more likely to report (35%) than those older than 60 (19%). Women with less than five years experience were more likely to report (32%) than those with more than 20 years (24%).

Most sexual misconduct goes unreported largely out of fear. But 40% of respondents say they did not trust the system. More than one-third - 34% - weren't even sure what happened to them amounted to sexual harassment, and 32% say they had no evidence so it was their word against the accused. And 20% say they felt shame.

"On countless occasions, I have been in a position at events with clients, where either the client or a member of the client's team has made sexually explicit comments, sexual advances and/or touched my body without consent," says a publicist in her early 40s. "These assailants seem confident enough to know they can become predators without repercussion."

Often, she says, there are no human resources departments working with producers or directors to take a complaint. As a contract worker, her only "professional exit" option in these situations is to wait out the end of her contract without renewal.

"Being in a line of work that obtains clients through word-of-mouth makes me reluctant to speak (about) these sexual harassment/assault experiences for fear of losing clients or collaborations with other firms/companies," she says.

Of those few who reported misconduct, the result was most often a warning or reprimand (32%) or removal of the harasser (23%). A fraction (8%) of respondents say they were fired after reporting and 4% say there was a settlement in their case. And zero cases were prosecuted.

Also, a quarter of the respondents (24%) say they left their companies specifically because of sexual misconduct incidents.

"There was one specific instance where I reported a horrible incident of harassment to superiors and the male boss of the man who harassed me told me that 'he wouldn't do such a thing' and stopped replying to my emails," says a director in her early 30s. "Women superiors, though more sympathetic, implied nothing more could be done. I simply couldn't keep working in an environment that would be both physically and mentally unsafe for me."

They're male, older and for the most part more powerful than their accusers. About one-third (29%) were directors, agents, producers or someone else in an authority position as the industry defines it. About one-quarter (24%) were peers or co-workers, and one-fifth (20%) were supervisors or senior managers. Less than 10% were influential individuals in the industry, such as celebrities, and few were in a lower position than the accuser (3%).

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How common is sexual misconduct in Hollywood?

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The first number you see is 94% - and your eyes pop with incredulity. But it's true: Almost every one of hundreds of women questioned in an exclusive survey by USA TODAY say they have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault during their careers in Hollywood.

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"I got hired for most of my gigs in bed."

The author uses this testimonial with Ethos to show that the dark side of the music industry is rampant and affects even the most professional of musicians.

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"He took me back to a caravan and basically exposed himself to me" she said, adding that he expected her to perform a sex act.

She said earlier in her career she had been told the job she wanted was not usually open to women but that an exception could be made if she slept with a more senior colleague.

The author used Ethos to show testimonies of the people that have experienced this type of abuse in the music industry. These testimonies provide examples of how people are exploited in their positions and help us connect real life stories with this global issue.

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Sex exploitation 'as bad in music industry as in Hollywood'

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Music manager Sarah Bowden said she had once been sacked after refusing to sleep with a manager.

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"Amy" was 15 when she was groomed by her music manager from one of the UK's largest music companies.

"It had things like showing him more affection, talking to my friends and family less, and making sure he was the person I talked to most in my life."

Then, she says, he began to sexually assault her.

The author uses the testimony to describe a real situation and make the claims more credible. In this case we have Amy who was assaulted by her manager which is a large problem with sexual abuse in the music industry. We have a testimony about one case, and we can use other cases to begin to justify why this is such a huge problem.

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Sexual abuse and harassment is "endemic" in the music industry, with "dangerous men" abusing their power, the Victoria Derbyshire programme has been told. Some victims are now speaking out for the first time.

"Amy" was 15 when she was groomed by her music manager from one of the UK's largest music companies.

"I'd been writing songs since I was very young, and somebody emailed me and said he wanted to help me and manage me," she explains.

The singer-songwriter - whose name we have changed - began working with the man and soon had chart success, before everything went wrong.

"He told me that he was in love with me, and that if I didn't agree to be his girlfriend he would ruin my career.

"Over the next two years he continued to blackmail and threaten me to be in a relationship with him.

"He convinced me that I would be nothing without him and that if I told anyone, that success would go away."

The manager - who was still working in the industry - became more controlling as time went on, Amy says.

"He made a list of all the things I was and wasn't allowed to do.

"It had things like showing him more affection, talking to my friends and family less, and making sure he was the person I talked to most in my life."

Then, she says, he began to sexually assault her.

"I didn't want to survive any more, because it was just a horrible life.

"I thought 'I'm going to get a nine-to-five job and I'll be banned from the music industry, but I'd rather be banished from doing what I love than spend any more time with this man'.

"Being a musician is all I ever wanted and it was finally happening. It should've been the best time of my life, but it was actually the worst".

'One of the lucky ones'

Singer-songwriter Chloe Howl felt exploited by a number of men at the beginning of her career.

She was signed to a record label aged 16, and later nominated for a Brit Award.

"I did have somebody come on to me in pretty strong way," she explains. "He was a lot older than me and we were meant to be professionally working together.

"He would drop me off at my hotel, and then text me to say, 'Why didn't you invite me in?'

"I remember one night he grabbed my bum and said something along the lines of, 'I feel like we'd have really good times in the sack.'"

Yet despite this sexual harassment, she describes herself as being "one of the lucky ones".

"I know girls who've been raped, and it's always a man in power and a girl on the rise who needs as much support as possible, whose career hasn't started yet.

"I know that there are men who are getting away with it. They are given this untouchable power."

'Sex slave'

"You'd be hard pressed to find a woman working in the industry today who's never been a victim of sexual harassment or abuse," says Yasmin Lajoie, a 29-year-old music manager.

Frustrated by the abuse that she had seen and experienced in the industry, she started collecting others' stories of sexual misconduct.

"I expected stories of sexual harassment... but what I've actually received are stories of rape happening on company property, men insisting on oral sex from young women, men seriously assaulting women, raping them in apartments owned by major music companies."

The Victoria Derbyshire programme has spoken to many women who have been sexually harassed and assaulted but were too scared to share their stories, for fear they would never work in the industry again.

One woman who did decide to share her story, after 20 years, was Michelle de Vries, who has waived her right to anonymity.

After landing a job abroad for a major music company as a young woman, she says she was made to stay with an older, more senior colleague who would repeatedly assault her.

"He would walk into my room with no clothes on. He would masturbate in front of me and say, 'I know you really like it,'" she explains. "I felt like a sex slave.

"Then one day I was with a girl in the office and we were told to go and see him. So we went up to his office and he took out his penis and said, 'I want to have a threesome with you.'

"We went to a lawyer and were categorically told that he had committed a serious crime. But the lawyer said, 'If you report this, you will never work in the industry again.'"

Michelle and her female colleague decided to resign.

She says the man is still working in the industry - which has added to her resolve to speak out.

"I thought I was a hangover of the 80s and 90s, but it's very clear that this behaviour is still going on and young women are being sexually assaulted, still, today."

For Yasmin, recent media revelations have not even scratched the surface.

"Sexual assault and abuse in the music industry is endemic," she says.

UK Music, which represents the industry, said it takes "any allegations extremely seriously, and will always offer support and confidentiality to any complainant and do our utmost to guide them towards the help and advice they need".

Yasmin adds that she has "absolutely no doubt that there are people working in the industry today who should be in prison".

She says: "I am angry, and things need to change. There are so many amazing careers, it would be great to be able to encourage women to enter the industry without fear of assault, harassment and rape."

Watch the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel.

More on this story

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Rape and abuse: The music industry's dark side exposed

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Sexual abuse and harassment is "endemic" in the music industry, with "dangerous men" abusing their power, the Victoria Derbyshire programme has been told. Some victims are now speaking out for the first time. "Amy" was 15 when she was groomed by her music manager from one of the UK's largest music companies.

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Organisers of a new Safe Spaces Now music industry initiative say more than 40% of women under 40 have experienced sexual harassment at a live music event.

The statistic does not surprise Claire Barnett, the executive director of UN Women UK. She said recently released data revealed just 3% of 18 to 24-year-old women had not been harassed in a public space.

The author used logos to help provide the facts to solidify claims that sexual abuse is a big problem in the industry. The facts provide proof for the many cases that have been reported. These statistics can also help us identify how to prevent if enough data is captured

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Mabel, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Glastonbury's Emily Eavis are among the names backing a call for change to end the harassment and abuse of women at gigs and festivals.

Organisers of a new Safe Spaces Now music industry initiative say more than 40% of women under 40 have experienced sexual harassment at a live music event.

The statistic does not surprise Claire Barnett, the executive director of UN Women UK. She said recently released data revealed just 3% of 18 to 24-year-old women had not been harassed in a public space.

"We had a lot of messages from people in that age group saying they were surprised it was as high as 3%. With young people it feels like a constant experience."

Only 3% of women surveyed said they had not been harassed in a public space. Photograph: Safe Spaces Now

Barnett said any hopes for generational change - that young men might be better than their fathers or grandfathers - had not happened.

"Live music is one of those spaces where people expect to be free. It is escapism, it's your place of joy, and if that is somewhere we are hearing people are afraid then we need to take action.

"It is not OK for women to be constantly worried about their safety at festivals, to make sure they always have phone chargers on them so they can call someone if they feel unsafe."

The letter has also been signed by Anne-Marie, Clara Amfo, MNEK and Rudimental. It says the music industry will soon be celebrating as festivals and live events reopen.

"But now we must face our own reality. And this reality is one that our industry has too long ignored: venues, festivals, studios and workplaces are too often not safe spaces for women, girls and marginalised genders.

Revellers at Strawberries and Creem festival, which is aiming to provide better training and safe places to stop sexual harassment. Photograph: Safe Spaces Now

"It is high time we change that, and we have a collective responsibility to take action. This restart needs to be for all of us. Our spaces must provide safety from harassment, violence, and abuse of power. Music should be a place of joy and inclusion for all."

Barnett said the hope was that festivals, venues, labels and artists would sign up and that would be the first step to discussing tangible measures that will bring about change.

The Strawberries & Creem festival in Cambridge is the only UK festival that has committed to a 50-50 gender split of performers. Next month it will, working with UN Women UK, be a pilot event for how things can be better, with redesigned spaces and better training.

Its co-founder Chris Jammer said organisers were passionate about ensuring events "are welcoming, inclusive and safe spaces for people to enjoy music together.

"We hope that, together, we can set a blueprint for what safe spaces should look like for festivals moving forward - for all of our audience, as well as our artists and staff."

Safe Spaces Now, a new music industry initiative, say more than 40% of women under 40 have experienced sexual harassment at a live music event. Photograph: Safe Spaces Now

Barnett said making gig and festival spaces completely safe was the aim. "What inspires us is that we have seen real behavioural changes in other areas way more quickly than we would ever have expected," she said, pointing to how taboo smoking indoors quickly became.

The return of normal life after the pandemic represented a unique opportunity, she said. "I don't think we will ever have another time where we re-programme live music from scratch. This is a different opportunity from what we've had before. We've talked for a decade about nudging towards safety and better behaviour, what better time to think about doing things better."

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UK musicians back call to end harassment of women at live gigs

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Mabel, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Glastonbury's Emily Eavis are among the names backing a call for change to end the harassment and abuse of women at gigs and festivals. Organisers of a new Safe Spaces Now music industry initiative say more than 40% of women under 40 have experienced sexual harassment at a live music event.

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Experienced physical violence (35%)

Been pressured to do something sexual when they didn’t want to (19%)

Been offered a career benefit for sexual cooperation (17%)

Experienced negative career impact for refusing sexual cooperation (16%)

Been made to do something sexual when they were intoxicated with drinks and/or drugs (16%)

Been sent unwanted sexual photos/videos by a colleague (15%)

Been forced, or threatened with force, to do something sexual they did not want to (9%)

The author used these statistics with Logos to help us better understand and grasp the different types of sexual abuse and harassment that happens in the music industry. To help recognize and prevent, we must know what happens and by seeing how little or how common it is, we must spread awareness towards this global issue.

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Among survey respondents who reported some type of harassment at a music event, 62% received unsolicited comments about their body, 55% had been groped, and 3% had been sexually assaulted or raped (OMMB, (2017). Similar trends occur in other countries (i.e., United Kingdom).

The author uses logos with these statistics to help prove that sexual abuse is a common wide spread problem. To prevent this, every person has to take accountability to stand up for it in public places like music festivals. The author is using statistics to help motivate people towards making the right decision if they witness or encounter sexual abuse.

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If the #MeToo movement has driven change in the music industries, it’s less about claiming a high-profile scalp such as Weinstein than (hopefully) encouraging research into the scale of the problem and developing ways to address it from the ground up. This takes longer than a media storm – a storm that is all too often followed by business as usual – and it is more of an ongoing challenge. But lasting change requires thorough work over the long term – not just hashtags and speeches.

The author used pathos here to help us resonate with the fact that social media and companies now usually blow things up and use it for their own gain. Rather trying to fix the problem, more often than not it’s used for financial gain and publicity. The author used this point because now that almost everyone is online, people can recognize this and how it creates a new problem with trying to speak up about sexual abuse in the music industry.

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Righting wrongs. GrandeDuc/Shutterstock

It's now ten months since the #MeToo wave broke over Hollywood, with Harvey Weinstein at its centre. Similar revelations have shaken comedy - with Bill Cosby the most notable example - and sexism in the political realm has also been in the spotlight, ending the cabinet career of Sir Michael Fallon amid wider concerns about a culture of harrassment and abuse in Westminster.

With R&B star R Kelly's recent release of the defiant 19-minute song I Admit in response to numerous allegations against him, questions are being asked about why the music industries have not yet faced a watershed moment comparable to Weinstein or Cosby's downfall.

There have been some moves to highlight harassment in music, with demonstrations of solidarity at both the BRIT and Grammy awards. But there has yet to be a focal, Weinstein-style watershed moment in the music business. The reason for this is not straightforward. First of all, it's something of a misnomer to describe the " music industry " as a monolithic whole, as opposed to distinct - if related - activities: publishing, tours, recordings and so forth. And while there are different segments of the film industry, a movie is a unified product in the way that a song, an album and a gig aren't.

So legends and heroes have evolved in music differently to cinema. Alongside the power imbalance that also pervades Hollywood, there's the additional issue of errant behaviour being baked into the rebel credentials of "rock'n'roll" and the closer relationship between fans and stars in music than in cinema. It's hard to disentangle hell-raising stories of life on the road from the array of questionable acts under the spotlight of #MeToo.

Separating the art from the artist might sometimes be necessary when the cult of the "musical genius" is tied up with instances of problematic conduct. Hugely iconic stars such as Chuck Berry, James Brown and John Lennon are on record as having committed offences from voyeurism to domestic abuse.

Numerous others are alleged to have slept with underage girls - illegal whatever "consent" was implied, even in the heyday of the rock era.

It's also harder to "blacklist" artists, who can keep producing music and streaming directly to fans. So when, for instance, Spotify moved to pull XXXTentacion and R Kelly from playlists, it ended up rowing back on the decision on the grounds that it would have been impossible to properly police.

Change from the ground up

Fixing all of this will be difficult to achieve quickly. The possibility of powerful female artists taking a stand (as Taylor Swift did in her court victory over the DJ who had groped her in 2003) provides one point of focus. But it's not just a matter of policing the behaviour of prominent individuals - systemic, back-of-house, changes are needed.

The UK Live Music Census showed a broad gender imbalance across different categories of musician, becoming more pronounced in the professional realm. 68% of respondents to a survey of musicians identifying as professional, 81% as semi-professional, were male. This echoes an analysis by The Guardian in October 2017 which calculated that of the 370 gigs listed for one night in October on the Ents24 listings website, 69% of the acts were made up entirely of men, while just 9% were female-only - and half of these were solo artists.

Similarly, UK Music's Diversity survey showed women making up 60% of intern positions but only 30% of senior executive roles. Overall, women aged between 25 and 34 make up 54% of the UK music business, but they tend to leave the industry in greater numbers than male colleagues and women aged between 45 and 64 represent just 33% of the workforce.

But work is underway to develop strategies to combat sexism and harrassment in the industry. The Musicians' Union and Incorporated Society of Musicians recently launched a joint code of practice to tackle harassment and bullying, with UK Music helping to promote their "safe space" email account for reporting harrassment, anonymously if necessary.

Problems among audience members are also moving up the agenda - organisations such as Safe Gigs for Women have identified actions for venues and festivals to reduce assault and associated predatory behaviour. Likewise, the Music Venue Trust and Music Planet Live's initiative to bring more young women into gig promotion is aimed at fostering change at the grassroots.

If the #MeToo movement has driven change in the music industries, it's less about claiming a high-profile scalp such as Weinstein than (hopefully) encouraging research into the scale of the problem and developing ways to address it from the ground up. This takes longer than a media storm - a storm that is all too often followed by business as usual - and it is more of an ongoing challenge. But lasting change requires thorough work over the long term - not just hashtags and speeches.

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Music hasn't had a defining #MeToo moment ... yet

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Rock'n'Roll has long been associated with sexual misconduct but there are signs the industry is waking up to this.

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Video: Will the Music Industry Say #MeToo?

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This awards season, the conversation in Hollywood has been about #MeToo and #TimesUp. But the music business has been relatively quiet.

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Rape and Abuse: the music industry’s dark side  - BBC News

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And the women, by and large, keep their heads down. They laugh it off. To do anything more could spell the end of a hard-fought-for career. They are made to feel that they’re dispensable, while the male exec, the manager, the artist – those who make the money or control it – are not.

The authors again use pathos here to describe and explain how the social interactions between the victim and other people affect the situation. Having to keep quiet and play it off like it’s nothing is a very toxic thing to do because being sexually abused can damage someone’s mental health. Using examples of the scenario help the reader to feel with the victim and engage that this is a terrible epidemic of silence about sexual abuse.

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Show caption
'In 2018 Lily Allen alleged in her book, My Thoughts Exactly, that she was the victim of a sexual assault by a music exec.' Photograph: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Malibu

Thanks to a joint investigation by BBC Three and the Guardian, allegations of sexual misconduct against the DJ Tim Westwood - claims he firmly denies - are finally being heard. As I listened to the testimony of the seven women who came forward, I had a strong sense of deja vu. Last year I spoke to women across the industry for another BBC Three film, Music's Dirty Secrets, and many stories mirrored those told by Westwood's accusers.

What I learned from making my film, and in my research for a follow-up documentary, is that across the music industry, there is a problem with sexism, misogyny and sexual misconduct. It seems those at the top are only moved to act when there's a major scandal (and therefore serious negative publicity) brewing. Part of the problem is that proving allegations of sexual misconduct is notoriously hard, especially if those accused are powerful and extremely litigious. Yet the #MeToo movement, which led to the downfall of the film producer Harvey Weinstein and other powerful figures, seems to have bypassed the music industry entirely, even though many people I've spoken to believe it is even worse than Hollywood.

Why? The issue of industry gatekeepers came up with almost all the women I've spoken to within music - and I've spoken to scores, from interns right up to executives and managers of Grammy and Brit award-winning acts. For a long time, men have held the keys to the glamorous, fun and sexy world of music-making. Interested in developing a music act and becoming an A&R exec? Want to fly around the world promoting an artist's work as a PR? More likely than not, you will have to demonstrate you're good for a laugh, can schmooze with the best of them, can get on with the man who's likely to be your boss - and, perhaps, turn a blind eye to any shenanigans.

In some offices, women say they have seen men watching porn on their computers, and openly discussing masturbation. There have been comments from bosses about the tightness of their tops; their backs have been stroked suggestively at gigs; they've had sexually suggestive comments whispered to them at awards parties. And the women, by and large, keep their heads down. They laugh it off. To do anything more could spell the end of a hard-fought-for career. They are made to feel that they're dispensable, while the male exec, the manager, the artist - those who make the money or control it - are not.

One of the women interviewed in my first film was Kristen Knight, a DJ. She brought rape charges against the DJ and label owner Erick Morillo, and told me thatshe had initially reported what had happened to colleagues, but that many had shunned her rather than supporting her. Morillo was found dead of a drug overdose just days before he was due to face charges in court. Since his death, multiple women have come forward to make similar allegations.

In 2018 Lily Allen alleged in her book, My Thoughts Exactly, that she was the victim of a sexual assault by a music exec. Almost everybody who's anybody in the industry thinks they know who Allen's alleged assailant is, and that it's someone still working in music. Even if they are wrong, the fact that so many people presume that there would have been no consequences for the accused following Allen's allegation speaks volumes.

So what is the answer? After all, if it is right that people are innocent until proven guilty, then it follows that a person cannot have their livelihood destroyed on the basis of one allegation. It's certainly tricky for a record label to sack them on that basis.

The problem is that many record labels do not even seem to try. If you are making your way into the industry, the likelihood is that you'll work for an independent record label. If you're assaulted by the owner of that company, or the artist, then who can you go to to complain? There are often no HR structures in place, and even where they do exist, which HR person is going to scrutinise their boss, or the person upon whom a sizeable proportion of the business model relies? And it's a small world. If you rock the boat, women have told me, you're labelled a troublemaker, and you may even find yourself frozen out of jobs in other companies. This lack of internal recourse can leave women with only two options: calling out their abuser in public, with all the attached risks, or staying quiet.

The responsibility should be even greater for the major record labels and respected music bodies, where there are HR systems in place. But I've been told by dozens of women that when they have made complaints to HR staff, the response has ranged from being gaslit, ignored, threatened with lawsuits, required to sign NDAs or quietly let go. In one example, a junior member of staff told me she had revealed that she had been raped the night before by one of the bosses, and the response from her manager was brief sympathy, but nothing more. In another, an investigation was called after allegations of inappropriate touching. The man in question was quietly shuffled out of the building and given a glowing reference in the music press with best wishes for his future. The woman says she was forced to sign an NDA. And so the cycle continues.

It is worth highlighting that all seven of the women who came forward to make allegations about Tim Westwood are black. They allege he abused his position and power to prey upon them - in fact, the subtitle of the film is Abuse of Power. If a white woman feels a lack of support among her peers and seniors when making allegations of sexual misconduct, their testimony suggests the issue is compounded for black and brown women, who often have to work even harder to make it in the industry.

Music may not have had its #MeToo moment, but those in the industry are increasingly coming together to support one another. There are more female execs, more female-owned ventures, and greater awareness of what is and isn't acceptable behaviour. Last month, former Atlantic A&R executive Dorothy Carvello launched her foundation, Face the Music Now, to provide a safe space for women to report their abuse and to help them find legal counsel. And it's not just women. Many of the people I've spoken to are men fed up of seeing their colleagues experience abuse, only to then be minimised and dismissed.

The music industry has in its midst multiple artists, managers and execs who have been accused of sexual misconduct. It has the tools to investigate and take allegations seriously. It's time to use them.
Opinion

Having spoken to women across the business, I know abuse is rife. But speaking out is made incredibly hard

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Why did #MeToo bypass the music industry? Just look at the gatekeepers

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Having spoken to women across the business, I know abuse is rife. But speaking out is made incredibly hard, says film-maker Tamanna Rahman

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This graph tells us about the statistics of sexual abuse at different music festivals. As we can see, most commonly committed is the harassment and sexual assault against women at music festivals.

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These women along with many others have come out about their victim stories to help bring light about the dark side of music. These women are brave and are inspiring others to take a stand against the people who commit these awful acts.

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The #MeToo is a social movement and awareness campaign against sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and rape culture, in which people publicize their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment. The metoo movement has become publicized in the music industry lately as people protest against higher ups and tell their stories.

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One of the women interviewed in my first film was Kristen Knight, a DJ. She brought rape charges against the DJ and label owner Erick Morillo, and told me that she had initially reported what had happened to colleagues, but that many had shunned her rather than supporting her.

The author used pathos by talking abt the social interactions with the interviewer. Being shunned by the public and the people in her workplace makes her feel powerless and like she can do nothing about the situation. The effect that this has makes her feel bad about herself for being in that situation when it’s not her fault. The problem that is presented here makes us feel for the victim because we can put ourself in her shoes.

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Musicians’ Union respondents

85% of people who experience sexual abuse don’t feel able to speak up. Musicians in the union who had experienced sexual harassment did not report it for fear of losing work.

The author includes Logos to show that it’s very common for people to be afraid of those who abuse them. These statistics help us understand why and how these people feel that way in these situations and how often it can be in our own worlds.

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court in New York heard that R. Kelly sexually abused late R&B singer Aaliyah

Alanis Morissette was 15 years old, and just starting out in the music industry, she was raped by several men

The author used Ethos with court case references of people who have been caught with this atrocious acts. The use of Ethos here just helps prove the point that it’s always been an ongoing problem since early in the industry until now. People like Elvis Presley, R Kelly, and modern artists who are victims like Lady Gaga. It’s a problem that needs to be seriously addressed and dealt with at large.

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The popular music industry has a problem - men are sexually assaulting women. Male producers, record company execs and musicians are exploiting and abusing women musicians, women working in the industry and female fans. Male fans are doing it too. It's not new. Phil Spector's treatment of Ronnie Spector and Ike's of Tina Turner has long been known.

Recently, it was revealed that when Alanis Morissette was 15 years old, and just starting out in the music industry, she was raped by several men. Meanwhile, a court in Brooklyn, New York heard that R. Kelly sexually abused the late R&B singer Aaliyah when she was 13 or 14 years old, allegations he denies.

Kesha's allegations of abuse by music producer Dr Luke, in a case she later dropped, prefigured music's own #metoo - which led to hundreds of women in Sweden and Australia co-signing letters detailing the abuses they have faced. Lady Gaga has also spoken out about being raped by a male music producer when she was 19 years old and just starting out in the industry.

It isn't just famous people, data from the UK Musician's Union shows that almost half of their female members have experienced sexual harassment at work. In New Zealand 45% of women report not feeling safe in places where music is performed or made. While 67% of women respondents to the US Music Industry Research Association survey had experienced sexual harassment. This violence seriously hampers women's musical careers, their health and their happiness.

Sexual violence at gigs

Many female music fans also report experiencing sexual assault at music venues. Mine and my colleague's research has found that the effects of these assaults can be profound enough to stop women going to concerts, or to avoid certain venues or types of audiences.

These assaults happen at music events of all genres, at standing and at seated concerts. And typically venues and promoters are ill-equipped to deal with the problem or support victims. This too affects women's musical participation and their health.

This violence has been happening for many years. It's a catastrophe for women's musical participation. It's also a catastrophe for the stories we hear - our research, for example, shows that in the UK rock and metal chart, only a tiny proportion of songs are written by women. The result is that we only hear stories from a limited viewpoint, a viewpoint that too often supports violence against women.

While not all songs are overtly violent towards women, they objectify, gaslight and infantilise. And as we discuss in our research, this behaviour can undermine women's ability to say no to sex and so lay the groundwork for coercion and sexual assault.

'From grassroots to corporate setups'

That more women are willing to talk about what's happening to them is a good sign. It has led to some being accused of abuse or intimidating behaviour losing their powerful positions, such as Denis Handlin, former CEO of Sony Music Australia. It's also leading to exciting musical endeavours such as Lingua Ignota's critically acclaimed CALIGULA album (2019), which musically represents her experience of abuse at the hands of a fellow musician.

But the fact remains that harassment, abuse and violence take place at all levels of the industry - from grassroots DIY scenarios to corporate setups. Even those scenes that claim to be egalitarian - such as punk - have problems with abuse. And many people who experience sexual abuse don't feel able to speak up - 85% of Musicians' Union respondents who had experienced sexual harassment did not report it for fear of losing work. This highlights the vulnerability of musicians, especially young women, who rely on others (often powerful men) to make a living and so are at risk of exploitation.

Support and solutions

Without regulation of industry working practices or formal support for musicians' incomes, the music industry remains a risky business for women. That's not to say women shouldn't follow a musical career path - emphatically they should - but rather that change needs to happen to support women. There's no single solution to the problem, but an increase in women in powerful roles, in women-focused music organisations and collectives, along with good support networks for women entering and remaining in the industry are all needed.

There also needs to be buy-in from men in the industry, in support of these women's spaces. And men need to be allies too. This extends beyond not being abusive to enabling artistic freedom and actively helping musicians to follow the musical path they want.

Members of the Musicians' Union can also report incidences of sexual harassment and violence in confidence to the union. Venues and promoters that want to prevent violence and offer support for victims and survivors can access training from Good Night Out Campaign, which advocates for a safer nightlife. Those who witness sexual violence, harassment and abuse can also learn more about what to do from Good Night Out.

And if you want to be cheered up, listen to Kesha's Rainbow album (2017), which is a jubilant celebration of her newfound freedom from the allegedly coercive, exploitative and abusive influence of Dr Luke.

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Is sexual abuse and exploitation rife in the music industry?

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Data from the UK Musician's Union shows that half of their members have experienced sexual harassment at work.

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Music Industry Research Association

67 percent of female artists have experienced sexual harassment.

In New Zealand 45% of women report not feeling safe in places where music is performed or made

The author includes the use of Logos here to prove that point that it is very common for women to experience sexual abuse at their work. They have to deal with it and feel unsafe at the place where they HAVE to go every single day for a living. These statistics show the real reality and how common it is, and how there should be more action taken to prevent it.

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The worldwide music industry has a glaring problem - male musicians, music producers and label executives are sexually assaulting women at an alarming rate. A Musician's Union survey from last year reported that 48 percent of musicians and music industry professionals in the UK have encountered sexual assault at work, a staggering amount when compared to other professions. In the US, the Music Industry Research Association survey reported that as many as 67 percent of women respondents had experienced sexual harrassment.

Men in the industry are known to exploit and abuse musicians who are women, female fans, as well as women they work with. The misogyny doesn't end at the professional level, as male fans are just as abusive at shows, where groping and assault fears are ever-growing.

Countless examples of abusive behaviour towards women can be found in music, whether from decades ago or as recently as last week. It has become commonplace to see striking headlines surrounding a famous artist and their problematic actions. The most ridiculous part about these awful stories is that a lot of the time, the perpetrator will be given nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Even the abuses inflicted by music legends like David Bowie, Elvis Presley, and Bob Dylan are almost forgiven in pop culture, the victims ignored.

Much of music may not be directly violent towards women in its messaging, but it does often include infantilization and objectification in lyrics as well as in performance. Women are almost commodified in many of the most popular songs around, often conveying an assumption that they are open to advances, which sets a troubling foundation for coercion and sexually abusive behaviour.

Exploitation is rife

The recent news regarding a rape that Chris Brown allegedly committed aboard his yacht exemplifies the issue. After this damning allegation and his well-known proven domestic abuse offences, why does he still have a career? Marilyn Manson has also seen a large amount of scathing accusations thrown at him by multiple defendants, yet is seemingly rewarded for it with features on Kanye West's DONDA and Sunday Service performances.

The allegations surrounding Chris Brown are just the latest in an inexcusable litany of offences that the music industry has racked up over decades. Take a look back at Phil Spector's treatment of Ronnie Spector, R. Kelly's trafficking offences and allegatory sexual abuse of late R&B star Aaliyah, or the rampant allegations surrounding the 2010's punk rock scene, and it is plain to see the sheer amount of abuse that women have faced from high-profile musicians and music professionals on a regular basis.

The abuse that Ke$ha allegedly suffered under producer Dr. Luke, in a case since dropped, sparked a #metoo movement within the music space, where huge stars like Lady Gaga and Lily Allen, amongst others, spoke of their own troubling encounters - shining even more light on the already blatantly misogynistic nature of the music industry. More and more stories are being told, and the industry is finally starting to face its most glaring problem, but much more needs to be done.

Sexual harrassment at live shows

Abusive behaviour towards women is not only reserved for high-profile musicians and industry professionals, the issue is just as apparent at the grassroots level. Many female fans have stated that they have encountered sexual harrassment at live music performances.

The harassment can have a detrimental effect on confidence in going to gigs, and can lead to women wanting to avoid certain crowds and venues. All music venues and festivals can be seen as hubs for this type of behaviour, no matter the genre of music played or the artist performing. Recent news of spiking reaching 'epidemic levels' in the UK further exacerbates the fear that women feel at music venues.

It is proving difficult for promoters and venues to deal with the issues, and there is a significant lack of support given to those who have had to endure abuse. The ways in which female fans can be targeted at events devastates mental and physical health of victims, and pushes them further away from wanting to participate or pursue music, which is a predominantly male-led industry.

Alternative music gatekeeping

Alternative music genres like rock, metal, and punk specifically have been scrutinised heavily for their lack of diversity, as the vast majority of bands and artists within the alternative charts are predominantly white and male. Because of this, the heavily masculine nature of the music is further bolstered. Viewpoints from both female artists and fans are often shunned or belittled, enabling misogynistic rhetoric to thrive in the scene, which can then escalate into abusive behaviour.

When an upcoming band does in fact include female members, they are almost instantly sidelined, forever being compared to acts like Paramore or Evanescence, and then judged or ignored before their music is even heard. A common phrase used in conversation between alternative music fans is "female-fronted band", a title that automatically gives inferior connotations, as if the only interesting part of a group is their vocalist's gender.

It is maddening that genres that are initially deemed egalitarian like punk and metal are experiencing such discrimination towards women. The issue of misogyny runs as deep in grassroots scenes (if not more so) as it does on a world scale, and it is worrying.

Thankfully, it seems like times are changing, albeit slowly. Artists like Myrkur, Emma Ruth Rundle, Nova Twins, A.A. Williams, and Chelsea Wolfe amongst others are finally getting the spotlight that they deserve from rock fans, and are becoming increasingly welcomed into the alternative scene. Progress is certainly being made, as newer generations enter the industry.

Supporting victims

Many of those who have experienced sexual assault feel as though they cannot speak out about it; the Musicians' Union reported that around 85 percent of victims do not tell anyone, for fear of judgment or losing their job. Having men in positions above young women means that victims are usually reliant on them to make a living - the power dynamic increases the risk of exploitation.

More support needs to be given to women within the music industry, and it could come in the form of women-led support groups, female-focussed music organisations, and increasing the amount of women in senior roles in the scene. If more support was given, then women might feel much safer, and then the number of women working in the industry as musicians and music professionals would increase - which is a win for everyone. However, increased representation is only half the battle, and men who perpetrate abuses should see more punishment for their actions.

Naomi Pohl, deputy general secretary of the MU, told The Guardian: "I do think the music industry has been slow to recognise that we have a problem," adding, "If you're an artist signed to a record label, your contract will probably deal with what royalties you get, what you agree you're going to deliver. Is there anything in there about artist welfare, about abuse and harassment? Probably not. Do the workplace policies and procedures cover artists and people who are freelance? Probably not."

Over recent years, more men that have been called out by victims for their behaviour are being dropped from their high-level positions, thanks to the #metoo movement. Powerful executives such as L.A Reid from Epic Records have been pushed out, and more are being called out for their behaviour within firms. Musicians have also been using their encounters with sexual assault and achieving remarkable artistic triumphs after harrowing experiences. For example, the critically acclaimed album CALIGULA by Lingua Ignota was written in response to the abuse she suffered from a male musician within the metal scene.

Pohl highlights just some areas that desperately need to be looked at, both at a label and a venue level, but with many passing the issue of sexual abuse off as something that just tends to happen in all workplaces, there is still a long way to go before the problem gets the recognition that it deserves. The music industry needs to progress its culture rather than just accepting it, and with more and more fighting for female voices in music, the time for true equality is now more attainable than ever before, but still has a long way to go.

Change can occur through men becoming allies to women, recognising the exploitative nature of the industry and protecting those vulnerable from harm. Fundamentally, changes need to be made to the way in which female musicians are treated, and men need to avoid and call out gatekeeping, judging and stifling female artistic freedom. Hopefully, with the vast amount of research conducted and abusers called out, the industry can continue to become safer. But that can only be reached through evolving its firmly ingrained misogynistic and harmful culture, and with endless sexual assault stories still surfacing from within music, each step forward is seemingly met with two steps back.

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The music industry’s problematic relationship with sexual assault and power dynamics

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It is well known that the worldwide music industry is rife with instances of sexual assault, mainly perpetrated by men in positions of power. Women in music are too often subject to misogynistic behaviour, what is being done to combat the issue?

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University of Oregon spokesperson Kay Jarvis,"We take allegations of this nature seriously and intend to gather more information in the coming days.”

The Oregon Bach festival is one of the most prestigious classical music festivals in the world.

In this case, the author used Ethos to show just how much doing these acts can detriment a career, and for good reason. Sexually abusing another person is a real problem and most people get away with it. The festival takes who they consider very seriously because their brand is at risk, and the author uses Ethos to show that there are people doing things to make abusers think twice about what they might do to their careers, much less another person.

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Grammy-nominated conductor and composer Julian Wachner is a finalist for the vacant artistic director position at the Oregon Bach Festival. The annual event, which is a program of the University of Oregon, was founded in 1970 and is one of the most prestigious classical music festivals in the United States. Wachner is set to perform at the Oregon Bach Festival this summer in Eugene.

That scheduled appearance is now in doubt after the conductor was accused of sexual assault by a former employee of the performing arts conservatory Juilliard School, according to a report from The New York Times. The detailed allegation stems from an encounter at a 2014 Juilliard music festival where Wachner was a featured artist. After the Times publication on Sunday, Wachner was fired from his job as Director of Music and the Arts at the Trinity Church in New York City where he led the organization's acclaimed choir and baroque orchestra for over a decade.

The Oregon Bach Festival declined interview requests for this story. University of Oregon spokesperson Kay Jarvis provided OPB with the following written statement:

"The Oregon Bach Festival is aware of news involving a finalist for the festival's artistic director position. Careful background reviews are standard with every search. We take allegations of this nature seriously and intend to gather more information in the coming days."

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Finalist for the Oregon Bach Festival artistic director accused of sexual assault

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Grammy-nominated conductor and composer Julian Wachner's scheduled performance with the Oregon Bach Festival this summer is now in doubt after the conductor was accused of sexual assault by a former employee of the performing arts conservatory Juilliard School, according to a report from The New York Times.