NDAs ought to be banned in music enterprise, Parliament report suggests
A UK parliamentary report has beneficial for NDAs to be banned within the music trade to deal with its “tradition of misogyny”.
Earlier this month, the Girls and Equalities Committee (WEC) revealed ‘Misogyny In Music: On Repeat’, a report that claims that non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements are a “main concern” within the trade as they’re getting used to silence victims of harassment and abuse.
A authorities spokesperson advised The Guardian: “The music trade have to be freed from misogyny and discrimination and NDAs shouldn’t be misused to silence victims. We’re actively taking a look at all choices for additional reform of NDAs.”
A report from the WEC final yr warned that girls within the music trade face “endemic” misogyny and discrimination and mentioned “pressing motion” was required to deal with the problem. It described the trade as a “boys’ membership” the place sexual harassment and abuse are frequent and the non-reporting of such incidents is excessive.
Now we have revealed a report, Misogyny in music: on repeat.
We discovered that banning non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) is key to tackling a ‘tradition of misogyny’.
Learn the complete checklist of suggestions:https://t.co/TSLbpRxHqd pic.twitter.com/h97YTHypru
— Girls & Equalities Committee (@CommonsWEC) June 4, 2025
The Conservative authorities on the time rejected the proposed suggestions of that report, regardless of saying “everybody ought to be capable of work within the music trade with out being topic to misogyny and discrimination”. The Labour get together, then again, handed a movement at its annual convention final September that the present authorities would implement the committee’s report.
Final yr’s WEC report said that girls in music nonetheless encounter limitations in alternative, an absence of assist and chronic unequal pay – with these mentioned to be intensified for these dealing with intersectional obstacles, significantly racial discrimination.
It mentioned that feminine artists are “routinely undervalued and undermined, endure a deal with their bodily look in a manner that males aren’t subjected to, and must work far more durable to get the popularity their capacity deserves”.
The report highlighted the usage of NDAs that left victims of sexual harassment and abuse “threatened into silence”, with WEC recommending that they’re prohibited in instances involving sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, bullying or harassment, and discrimination regarding a protected attribute. It was additionally beneficial that the federal government ought to take into account a retrospective moratorium on NDAs for individuals who have signed them regarding the problems outlined.