4 days ago
Women in the music industry still face 'deep rooted misogyny' says new report
Sexual harassment remains pervasive in the music industry and women are still facing unequal pay and ageism, according to a report by The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC).
Wednesday's report found that "significant issues within the industry remain unaddressed" one year after a previous report on the issue in 2024.
'What is most prevalent in the daily experience of being female in the music industry is this idea of an ingrained bias, or even an unconscious, sexist bias,' singer Celeste told the report authors.
The new report found that "misogyny remains deeply rooted in the music industry" and "meaningful change requires both cultural and structural reform".
It forms part of an inquiry being undertaken by the WEC, which aims to examine attitudes towards women in the music industry and how these impact women and girls more widely.
The WEC is also calling on the Government to bring forward a proposed ban on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in the event of sexual misconduct, bullying, or discrimination, in a bid to tackle the issue.
The committee said doing so would "demonstrate decisive leadership and ensure that the silencing of victims of abuse will no longer be tolerated".
It also called for improved protections and reporting mechanisms for sexual harassment, after the committee found reporting rates are low due to a fear of retaliation.
During an evidence session in January, Dr Charisse Beaumont, Chief Executive Officer of Black Lives in Music told MPs: "24% of the people who we spoke to said they have been pressured to sign an NDA. If that is reflected across the music industry, you are talking about a quarter of the music industry.
"They are being misused to protect perpetrators. They have become a distrusted weapon and they have negative impacts, particularly when misused to suppress and shield misconduct and exploit power imbalances."
Last year a separate report by the Musicians' Census found:
87% of women reported experiencing or witnessing discrimination of some kind while working in music, compared to 65% of men
51% of women report experiencing gender discrimination while working as a musician, while only 11% reported it
47% of women from the Global Majority reported experiencing racism, but only 8% reported it
32% of women report being sexually harassed while working as a musician.
The General Secretary of the Musicians' Union told MP's in January that women musicians often have to make a choice between their personal safety and their finances.
Launching the new report, WEC chairwoman and Labour MP Sarah Owen said: "One year on from the Women and Equalities Committee's report on misogyny in music, significant issues within the industry remain unaddressed and appear to be on repeat."WEC's 2024 report warned women pursuing careers in music face endemic misogyny and discrimination in a sector dominated by self-employment."It laid bare a boys' club where sexual harassment and abuse is common, and the non-reporting of such incidents is high."NDAs are frequently used to silence victims of harassment and abuse, often under coercive circumstances."The report presents evidence of the psychological toll these agreements take and the power imbalances that make them particularly harmful in the music industry."Women working in music feel rightly frustrated at the lack of support from the Government in tackling the challenges they face."Female artists should not encounter limitations in opportunity or have to work far harder to get the recognition their ability and talent merits."We urge ministers to accept the recommendations in our new report and help set the music industry on a path of lasting change free from discrimination and harassment."
During a hearing to gather evidence for the report, another singer told MP's she was asked if she "had performed a sex act on the conductor" in order to get a solo, and she would have to wait for "somebody to get pregnant or die" in order to find work."It is a very small world, and it has been normalised that misogyny and bullying are taking place in the industry all the time," freelance soprano Lucy Cox told the committee in January. The report also highlighted challenges faced by parents and carers in the music industry, saying freelancers in particular struggled with "inadequate maternity support and the high cost of childcare".
It further underlined the 'inadequacy' of legal protections for freelance musicians, saying the Equality Act did not "clearly extend" to freelancers and those working under temporary conditions such as substituting for other musicians. The WEC called on the Government to amend the Employment Rights Bill to align maternity allowance with statutory maternity pay to allow self-employed women "greater flexibility during maternity leave and remove unfairness within the system".
