Sexual violence and gender equality in grassroots music venues: safety as a foundation for freedom and fun

Description

Sexual violence at live music events is ruining music for everyone. Those who have been targeted are pulled out of their immersion in the music, subject to short and long term mental and physical damage. They may stop going to events altogether. For venues, promoters and staff sexual violence amongst the audience is a source disquiet and powerlessness as they lack knowledge and skills to prevent or respond well to incidents. Venues’ reputations can be negatively impacted. And stories of the sexual violence ripple out through musical communities, resulting in tension and disunity. Whilst it is perpetrators’ individual responsibilities to stop assaulting others, the environments of grassroots venues too often enable (mostly) men to perpetrate sexual violence against (mostly) women. But these environments can be improved through training, building and environment changes, policies, staff attitudinal change and sustained information for audiences. In this talk I set out a path towards safer, and therefore free-er, more fun, grassroots music venues.

Period	29 Mar 2022
Held at	University of Music and Performing Arts, Austria
Degree of Recognition	International