UK authorities calling for proof from ladies requested to signal NDAs to silence sexual assault accusations in music business
The UK authorities has referred to as for proof from ladies within the music business who’ve been requested to signal NDAs to silence sexual assault allegations.
The decision is a part of a wider inquiry to handle misogyny within the music business. The inquiry, which had a listening to this September, noticed former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac communicate to the Girls and Equalities Committee concerning the potential “tidal wave” of sexual abuse instances.
MPs are requesting proof of the usage of NDAs as examples are missing, because of the legally binding nature of the contracts stopping people coming ahead. You’ll be able to submit your proof here till November 30. Proof won’t be made public; “widespread themes” will as an alternative assist inform the Committee’s inquiry, last report, and suggestions.
Anybody a part of an NDA submitting it as proof will nonetheless be legally sure to the doc. Nonetheless, the submission of the NDA might be protected by parliamentary privilege. This implies sharing particulars of an NDA with the Committee “can’t be used as proof in authorized proceedings, and subsequently direct authorized motion can’t be taken in opposition to an individual for sharing the knowledge.”
These searching for to submit proof would even be protected as it will be “potential contempt” to “topic an individual to detriment as a consequence of offering info to Parliament.”
The Committee is searching for written proof on any or all the following:
- The prevalence of the usage of NDAs to silence victims of gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment and abuse within the music business;
- The motivations for creating and signing an NDA;
- Circumstances of particular person NDAs together with the roles of these concerned (together with employment standing);
- Whether or not efforts have been made to report inappropriate behaviour earlier than an NDA was reached; and
- Whether or not NDAs have been utilized in instances the place behaviour could be legal.
The inquiry into misogyny within the music business opened in June 2022. The inquiry goals to discover “the sexism skilled by ladies throughout the business”, “the illustration of ladies inside music and the impact of this on customers” and “harassment at festivals and different dwell music occasions.”
In 2022, a basis referred to as Face The Music Now was established to assist survivors of sexual abuse within the music business. It was arrange by creator and expertise supervisor Dorothy Carvello, who turned the primary feminine A&R scout for Atlantic Data: “As a survivor myself, I’ve seen and skilled firsthand how sexual harassment and abuse shatters survivors psychologically, financially, and professionally.
“We need to assist survivors discover their voices and take again a few of what they’ve misplaced.”