We are campaigning for cultural change in music and BLiM’s ‘Your Safety, Your Say’ survey will provide important data to help make that change. Image credit: Shutterstock.
Black Lives In Music (BLiM), the organisation set up to address racial inequality in the music industry and create opportunities for Black, Asian and ethnically diverse musicians and professionals, have this week launched their YourSafetyYourSay survey on Bullying and Harassment in the music industry.
After becoming aware of shocking abuse, BLiM will use the anonymous survey to collect real world data. This will inform legislation and the work of the new Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) and the wider music industry. It will also be used to support BLiM’s forthcoming Anti Racist Code of Conduct and reporting tool, which will work towards eradicating discrimination, bullying and harassment throughout the music ecosystem. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has also requested the data to inform their work in this area.
Research shows that bullying and harassment remain prevalent issues in the music industry
Since publishing their ‘Being Black in the Music Industry’ report in 2021, BLiM has been inundated with calls for help from creatives in the music industry who have experienced bullying and harassment.
Testimonies gathered so far range from women being pressured to wear shorter skirts at events, allegations of rape and sexual assault in music studios, racial and sexual comments about appearance and being pressured to drink alcohol before being assaulted, all of which are reminiscent of the gruelling accounts of the #MeToo movement.
We know from our recent Musicians’ Census project as well as our ongoing Safe Space work, that bullying and harassment remain prevalent issues in the music industries and that there are significant gaps between the rates of experiencing bullying, harassment and discrimination, and reporting the incidents. This is exacerbated by high rates of freelance and precarious work, where people feel they will lose work due to reporting incidents, or don’t know where or who they can report to.
The Musicians’ Census found that women from the global majority experienced sexual harassment at work in higher rates than their white counterparts, which matches the pattern found in research by the TUC. Almost half of all Global Majority musicians who responded to the Census have experienced gender discrimination, compared to just over a quarter of their white counterparts.
We are campaigning for cultural change in music
Naomi Pohl, MU General Secretary said: "We know from the hundreds of reports that we've received from MU members and other music industry professionals that bullying and harassment is a serious issue for our industry. It occurs across genres and in many workplaces.
“It is a significant career barrier and in some cases, it forces survivors out of the industry altogether. We are campaigning for cultural change in music and BLiM’s ‘Your Safety, Your Say’ survey will provide important data to help make change.
“I encourage anyone working in the music industry to share their experiences by taking the survey. Your responses mean we’ll have the evidence to work together to create a fairer, more equitable industry free from bullying and harassment."
If you’ve experienced harassment in the music industry, remember you can report it to Safe Space
The MU's Safe Space scheme provides an opportunity for musicians to share instances of sexism, sexual harassment and sexual abuse in the music industry.
You can report your own experiences or cases that you have witnessed, using our anonymous online reporting tool. Alternatively, email safespace@theMU.org or contact your Regional Office for advice and assistance. All calls and emails are treated in the strictest confidence and no action will be taken on your behalf without your prior consent.
Visit Safe Space