Published
Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 11:20
- Change The Lineup and Safe Spaces Now are fighting for women's safety in the music industry.
Two initiatives to fight sexual harassment against women in the music industry and events have launched in the UK.
The campaigns have been launched in line with all COVID-19 restrictions in the UK lifting, allowing nightclubs and festivals to operate fully again.
According to statistics shared on UN Women UK, seven in ten women have been sexually harassed in the UK, with over 40 percent of women under 40 having been victim to harassment at a live music event. The vast majority of incidents will never be reported by the victim, with 95 percent of women not reporting when they have been sexually harassed. UN Women UK report that almost half of all UK musicians have faced sexual harassment in the workplace, and the workplace culture has been cited as the biggest barrier to people feeling able to report the crimes.
UN Women UK have teamed up with Stawberries & Creem Festival in Cambridge to launch Safe Spaces Now. The festival will be the first pilot event to have signed the Safe Spaces Now pledge, which involves committing to a strategy that prioritises safety first. The Guardian reports Strawberries & Creem, running September 18th and 19th, is the only UK festival so far to have committed to programming a gender-equal lineup.
In a statement Executive Director of UN Women UK Claire Barnett said, "As live events return following the COVID pandemic, women and marginalised people everywhere are not only thinking about staying safe from the virus—they want to be able to enjoy their right to music, arts and culture without constant fears of violence and harassment. We have a unique opportunity as we return from lockdown to reconsider the way we construct and use our public spaces to be safer for the long term."
You can join the likes of Emily Eavis, Poppy Ajudha and Clara Amfo in signing the Safe Spaces in Music open letter here.
Change The Lineup is a new poster campaign launched by two creative advertising graduates, Tom Snell and Dylan Hartigan. The posters are designed like classic rave flyers, using bright neon colours and acid smileys that are flipped to appear sad. Where you would normally find the lineup, you'll find text like "Non-consensual presents: Persistent Male (5 hour set)," "Room Two: Same Shit," and "For 4 in 5 women, this night out is a reality."
Snell and Hartigan started working on Change The Lineup in the wake of Sarah Everard's murder in March, 2021. In time to coincide with nightclubs opening, the pair took to areas of London like Shoreditch and Farringdon to display the posters. Speaking to The Face, Hartigan says: "People will look at them because it's bright and wonder who's on the lineup and it's almost shocking. It’s a wake-up call."
According to their website, with the support of student unions, Snell and Hartigan intend to expand into offering Change The Lineup merchandise packs at freshers' fairs and university events. They have also been discussing potential collaborations with venues like fabric and Ministry of Sound.
Other existing campaigns to help you feel safe on a night out or at a festival in the UK include Don't Be A Creep, Good Night Out, Ask for Angela and White Ribbon.
