Written evidence submitted by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) (MiM0039)

 

Introduction

 

The Government welcomes the Women and Equalities Committee’s inquiry into Misogyny in Music and is pleased to respond to the Call for Evidence.

 

As the department responsible for music policy, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) recognises that this is an important issue that requires close attention. We are supportive of action to prevent discrimination and violence against women and girls within the music industry.

 

Whilst we celebrate the progress made so far, such as the crucial work on bullying, harassment and discrimination, the sector recognise that more may need to be done. DCMS looks forward to considering the outputs of this inquiry and continuing to assess whether further action is required to minimise and mitigate against misogynistic attitudes in the music industry.

 

We would like to thank the Committee for the work they have undertaken in relation to the Inquiry and the industry stakeholders who have engaged constructively with this work.

 

Gender equality in the UK music industry

 

Achieving gender equality in the workplace is an important aim of the UK Government, which legislation such as the Equality Act 2010 works to support. The protection of employees from less favourable treatment on account of their protected characteristics is a vital aspect of this legislation that seeks to prevent discrimination based on sex.

 

Whilst the Government’s role in legislating against workplace discrimination is crucial, it requires engagement on behalf of UK employers to enact the law. In the case of the UK music industry, which was once considered a male dominated sphere, industry has taken positive action in recent years to correct the disparity in gender representation. Evidence suggests that the demographic makeup of the music industry is becoming more diverse in terms of gender, with UK Music finding that the proportion of women working across the industry had risen from 45.3% in 2016 to 49.6% in 2020.[1] 

 

Initiatives such as Keychange, a global network which advocates for gender balance, are evidence of a growing ambition to address such issues. In 2020, PRS for Music and others signed up to the Keychange initiative, pledging at least 50% representation on their boards of women and under-represented genders. Another central aspect of Keychange’s campaign has been inviting festivals to programme at least 50% female or gender minority artists and musicians by 2022. However, BBC News has reported that only one in ten headliners at the UK's top music festivals in summer 2022 will be women[2], suggesting that more needs to be done to achieve this aim.

 

Despite some progress towards greater female representation in the UK industry, UK Music’s 2020 diversity report showed that at a senior level, only 40.4% of respondents identified as female, whilst 56% identified as male. UK Music suggests the decline in female representation as career levels increase in seniority may indicate the need for more robust policies that better support a diverse workforce. This could include the offer of flexible working patterns to support women re-entering the industry.

 

The Musicians’ Union (MU) have set out some of the challenges women in the music industry continue to face, including sexism, misogyny, harassment and bullying. The MU acknowledge the positive work being done to place more women in prominent roles within the industry, but also note there are still issues in relation to intersectionality, where BAME women often face discrimination in several forms.

 

Existing support and action against bullying, harrassment and discrimination

 

There has been notable movement within the music industry to address issues of bullying, harrassment and discrimination (BHD), which has been fully supported by the Government. Several industry reports, such as the MU’s For the Love of Music: Ending Sexual Harassment in the Music Industry, indicate that women are primary subjects of BHD in the creative industries - as such, industry-led initiatives to tackle this are pertinent to the Misogyny in Music Inquiry.

 

DCMS ministers have met with Rebecca Ferguson and other survivors, as well as with industry bodies including Creative UK, to discuss their action plan to improve support for those facing these issues. The Government acknowledges the positive progress industry is making on implementing this action plan, including aligning their codes of conduct to agreed standards on BHD in the workplace, developing cross-industry training and monitoring the effectiveness and visibility of support available. The music industry must maintain momentum in tackling these issues and ensure that sufficient action is taken to make a meaningful difference. 

 

Time’s Up UK is developing the Independent Standards Authority (ISA), which supports the reporting and investigation of cases of BHD within the creative industries. A public statement on establishing the body was made by Time’s Up UK and Creative UK in May. In June, ITV, Sky, BBC, Channel 4, and Channel 5 were the first UK organisations to back the next stage of development of the proposal for an ISA to strengthen efforts to tackle bullying and harassment. Time’s Up UK is engaging with the music industry to garner further support for the ISA from the sector.

 

Another industry-led initiative that aims to tackle inappropriate behaviour towards women is the joint code of practice by the Musicians’ Union (MU) and the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM). The code sets out a number of principles to aid employers in meeting their legal requirements, and presents a shared vision for promoting and maintaining a positive working culture. Many organisations within the industry have signed up to the code of practice, including PRS for Music and the Ivors Academy.

 

Whilst it is essential that industry focuses on the prevention of discrimination towards women, it is also crucial that a robust support framework exists, whereby anyone can report instances of discrimination and abuse and receive appropriate support. This is particularly important in the music industry, where many freelance musicians are exempt from legal protections from sexual harrassment at work because of their employment status.

 

Schemes and helplines exist within the industry, such as the MU’s Safe Space Scheme, which functions as an anonymous reporting service. Reports received by the scheme range from sexual harassment such as inappropriate dress codes and inappropriate text messages, to sexual assult. The scheme also provides individuals advice on their rights, information about relevant support services and advice on individuals’ options.

 

In March 2022, Help Musicians, an independent UK charity, launched their Bullying and Harassment Helpline. The service provides emotional support, guidance on how to raise the issues being experienced, and advice on rights and avenues for formal action. The helpline will also provide anonymous data to help shed light on the issues being experienced and highlight any trends in attitudes and behaviours. The intention is for this data to be used to inform and drive collaborative efforts for positive change across the music industry.

 

The safety of women and girls at festivals and live music events

 

This Inquiry into misogyny in music extends beyond the experiences of those in the music industry and explores the impact on women and girls engaging with music. After a challenging two years due to the pandemic, 2022 has seen the UK live music sector start to make a much anticipated comeback. Organisers of Safe Spaces Now, a music industry initiative, say that more than 40% of women under 40 have experienced sexual harassment at a live music event,[3] highlighting the importance of greater safeguarding.

 

The Government welcomes the steps taken by industry to respond to this issue and create safer spaces for all, including women. The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) are leaders in taking action in the festivals sector, having relaunched their Safer Spaces at Festivals Charter in May 2022. The Charter aims to promote and uphold best practice to address incidents of sexual assault or harassment and to ensuring that festivals are safe and inclusive spaces.

 

Safe Gigs for Women is another initiative with similar ambitions of creating a safer environment for women at gigs. The initiative takes a multi-layered approach that frames venues, acts and gig goers as key components in the collective drive for change. For example, they encourage gig-goers to be active bystanders whilst also working with artists to get their audiences recognising and employing best practice.

 

Home Affairs Select Committee on Spiking

 

Spiking is a key issue that the Government is actively working to tackle. On 26 April 2022, the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) published a report on spiking, which identified a need to consider whether a specific new offence for spiking is required. The Home Office is currently assessing the need for a specific offence and plans to update Parliament in October 2022.

 

The HASC report found that 88% of needle spiking victims are female, and where recorded, 73% are aged 18 to 21.[4] The report identified outdoor music festivals as an area of interest in terms of strengthening safeguarding measures due to the unique environment they present: the comparatively younger age of festival-goers and the additional vulnerability that arises from camping at such festivals.

 

The Government response to the Committee’s report on spiking was published on 4th July 2022.[5] The Home Office is leading the Government’s response to spiking, and the recommendations made in the HASC report, working in partnership with law enforcement and other departments including the Department for Health and Social Care, the Department for Education, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport.

 

As part of this work, the Home Office has been working with the festivals and outdoor events sector and the National Police Chief’s Council to ensure that they, alongside event organisers, local authorities, law enforcement, and hired security staff are taking appropriate action to protect potential victims and deter potential offenders. This includes joint communications, updated guidance for audiences and event organisers on spiking and victim support, and developing a shared understanding of the emergency service response to spiking incidents. The Home Office is also working with the Events Industry Forum to incorporate new guidance within the Purple Guide for the outdoor events sector on spiking and safeguarding risks and mitigations.

 

Given the limited existing evidence on spiking at festivals and other live events, the Home Office has also liaised with the police and requested they set out clear plans and mechanisms for reporting spiking intelligence specific to these events. Data gathered will form part of the Government's wider work exploring the scale and nature of spiking, the outcome of which is to be published in Spring 2023.

 

Tackling violence against women and girls

 

Tackling all forms of violence against women and girls is a key priority of the Goverment. In July 2021 the Home Office published the new cross-Government Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. This was followed by a complementary Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan in March 2022. The strategy and Plan aim to help ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere - at home, at work, online and in public.

 

As committed to in the Strategy, in March 2022 the Home Office launched a national communications campaign, Enough, which is focused on targeting perpetrators, educating young people about healthy relationships and ensuring victims can access support. The Government has been working with festival stakeholders to ensure that robust messaging around tackling violence against women and girls is promoted at festivals, including the dissemination of Enough campaign messages via the social media accounts of major music festivals in England and Wales.

 

The Home Office is also supporting the rollout of pilot initiatives to improve the safety of women in public spaces, including in the night-time economy. In the 2021 to 2022 financial year the Home Office delivered a £5 million Safety of Women at Night fund, in addition to the £25 million Safer Streets Fund Round 3. These funds supported projects that target potential perpetrators of violence and seek to protect potential victims, as well as delivering educational programmes and training to raise awareness. For example, Bristol City Council received funding through the Safety of Women at Night Fund for a trial rollout of kits to detect drink spiking made available to all police officers and 60 night-time economy venues. This enabled officers to test drinks on the spot to help prevent assaults.

 

As part of the October 2021 Budget, it was announced that £50 million per each of the three years of the Spending Review will be dedicated to the Safer Streets Fund (SSF), helping it continue its vital crime prevention role. This funding will be split into two 18-month rounds, with the first round expected to be £75 million in total. 

 

The fourth £75 million round of the SSF will run across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years until September 2023. This fourth round combines and expands upon previous rounds of Safer Streets and the Safety of Women at Night funding, targeting neighbourhood crime and violence against women and girls in public places, as well as including anti-social behaviour as a primary focus for the first time.

 

Misogynistic lyrics

 

The Government is aware of concerns surrounding music with lyrics that speak of violence towards women and girls. We recognise the importance of protecting individuals and groups from harm, which is why we maintain a proportionate regulatory framework in relation to radio broadcasting, which aims to also allow for freedom of creative expression.

 

In terms of radio, Ofcom is the independent regulator with responsibility for broadcast content and standards. Their regulations and accompanying guidance to broadcasters covers offensive language, including with regard to lyrics in music tracks. 

 

The Parental Advisory Scheme was adopted by some UK recording industry labels in 2011, by way of a sticker placed on records, CDs and tapes to alert parents of potentially unsuitable material for younger children. It has since been included on digital listings offered by some online music stores.

 

Whilst this regulatory framework exists, it is crucial that the Government does not attempt to censor creativity which operates within the bounds of the law. Artistic freedom of expression is vital to the success of our creative industries and the Government is working to maintain a safe environment for creativity to flourish.

 

July 2022

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[1] UK Music: Diversity report 2020.

[2] BBC News: Music festivals: Only 13% of UK headliners in 2022 are female

 

[3] Safe Spaces Now initiative.

[4] SPI0036 National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Written Evidence for Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry on Spiking, paragraph 3.4.

[5] Spiking - Committees - UK Parliament