Music

The Australian Music Industry Is Rife With Sexual Harassment, Report Finds

"This report marks a signal for change in the industry."
People at a music festival
SolStock via Getty

An independent report aimed at the Australian music industry has found unacceptable levels of sexual harm, sexual harassment and systemic discrimination operating within its folds.

The Raising Their Voices report, commissioned by the Australian contemporary music industry, involved 1600

participants. It found that women and non-binary people struggle to excel to the same extent as men and that young people – as well as those from diverse backgrounds – were at particular risk of harm.

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Over half (55 percent) of the participants reported having experienced some form of sexual harassment in the workplace within their careers, with 72 percent of those being women. While 82 percent of people didn’t report their abuse, 71 percent of those who did said that their career progression was negatively impacted.

 “The review’s findings demonstrate that sexual harm, sexual harassment, bullying, racism and other forms of discrimination are prevalent at unacceptable rates across the music industry,” said the report.

“They are behaviours that have no place in contemporary Australian workplaces, no matter how unconventional that workplace might be.”

With over 50 music organisations around Australia funding the review, Julia Robison, Managing Director for the Australian Festivals Association and facilitator of the report, told VICE it’s “unprecedented” for the industry to come together in this way.

“Over 50 organisations funded the report and that shows a real commitment to change,” she said.

“Early last year there was a gathering that spoke of these issues and there was a decision to come together to look at the true stories to really understand the problem before we could provide solutions.”

The report focused mainly on the experiences of women and non-binary people, who were shown to be the largest groups affected by sexual harassment and discrimination within the industry.

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Ninety-one percent of women reported that they had experienced at least one instance of sexism throughout their careers, compared to 66 percent of men. They also described instances of being “dismissed for their talents”, “objectified”, “sexualised,” and at times, being judged for their looks.

One participant wrote, “There is definitely pressure to be sexy as a woman in the industry 100% of the time. No one looks at your CV, they look at your chest and body.”

While the report's findings are indicative of widespread problems in the industry, it also aimed to provide solutions, listing 17 recommendations for change. 

These included implementing a Contemporary Music Industry Cultural Reform Council that would mobilise and oversee a Code Of Conduct and action a plan to counteract gender imbalance, sexual discrimination and diversity issues. 

These would be kept in place with independent investigations of anything that breached the Code Of Conduct. 

The report also recommended the creation of education and awareness campaigns, as well as targets to increase the representation of women in the music industry including in festival line-ups, leadership positions and award nominations. 

Though the report uncovers many unsettling aspects of Australian music, Robinson said that it is a positive step forward for the industry. 

“This report marks a signal for change in the industry,” she said, “We thank everyone who participated, it’s really difficult for people to do that and we have immense gratitude.”

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