Sprinter Karla Chubb from the Irish punk band Sprints has recounted how she was groped by an audience member during a Belfast performance, revealing that this was the second such assault of their debut album tour. She believes that speaking out may highlight the wider problem (is facing female performers and) witnessed a positive and overwhelming response from people across the UK and the US, including a lot of male acts and labelmates.
This spotlight on misogyny in the music industry comes as a group of UK MPs prepares to meet to discuss the problem. In January, the Women and Equalities Committee warned of the industry’s “culture of silence” surrounding abuse and referred to the music industry as a “boys’ club”. Speaking publicly about the assault, Chubb realised she was not being dramatic or exaggerating and that sexual assault is a “uniform experience” for many female performers. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is investigating the alleged incident.
The MPs on the Women and Equalities Committee want the government to ban NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) in cases of sexual abuse and harassment. So far the agreements have been banned in higher education institutions, but not other sectors. Committee chairwoman Conservative MP Caroline Nokes stated that Karla’s story did not surprise her and that the government must get “serious about the safety of women”.
Indeed, Nokes continues to pursue the matter of NDAs, saying that signing an NDA meant someone agreed not to speak in public about an incident and that the committee wants to outlaw such documents. She is committed to supporting women and promoting change within the industry. NewsBeat has contacted the UK government for comment
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