LPA, Grammys: more initiatives to change harassment culture in entertainment industry

The movement against sexual harassment in the entertainment workplace continues with different initiatives in Australia and abroad.

* Live Performance Australia CEO Evelyn Richardson told TMN that the peak industry association should have finalised a new Code of Practice “in the next couple of weeks”.

On its website, LPA said the Code will be “to prevent discrimination, harassment and bullying, and for procedures to deal with allegations of inappropriate conduct, harassment or bullying. Behaviour.”

It would obviously look at music concerts and festivals, as well as in theatrical productions – where multiple complaints have made headlines.

LPA has also offered training to those in the sector on what their obligations are to their staff and patrons.

In a statement in early January, the association said, “We will work closely with the MEAA to address these serious issues and to drive cultural change across our industry.”

* Musicians and industry workers wore white roses to the weekend’s Grammys in a show of solidarity to #TimesUp.

The demonstration on “Music’s Biggest Night” was the idea of a specially formed Voices in Entertainment group of 12 women, spearheaded by Roc Nation Senior VP Meg Harkins and Karen Rait of Interscope/Geffen/A&M Records’ promotions department.

They realised the importance of emphasising the message at a high profile event which drew millions of viewers around the world.

Harkin said, “It is an important conversation politically in our country and it’s also a conversation we need to have internally with our artists and our companies.

“We need to say if anyone is feeling like they’re being discriminated against and they don’t feel safe in their workplace, they have people who will support them.”

The white rose was chosen because women fighting in the early 20th century for the right to vote wore white.

More recently, Hillary Clinton wore white at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration on January 1, 2017.

Halsey, Rapsody, Kelly Clarkson, Cyndi Lauper, Dua Lipa, Rita Ora and Tom Morello were among the artists who first came on board.

The #TimesUp movement started on January 1 by 300 women in the entertainment industry to combat systematic sexual harassment in the industry and beyond and made its first demonstration at the Golden Globes.

* Kesha delivered a #MeToo movement statement at the Grammys by performing ‘Praying’ – in which she urges her alleged tormentor Dr. Luke to seek redemption – joined by Cyndi Lauper and Camila Cabello.

* The latest chapter in the Australian Entertainment Safety Resource Guidecovers what constitutes sexual harassment in the live performance sector, and what managers need to do to prevent it.

* Rap entrepreneur Russell Simmons has been hit with another rape claim.

Aspiring film maker Jennifer Jarosik has filed a $5 million lawsuit saying he attacked her in 2016, after he invited her to his house in Los Angeles to discuss a documentary project.

Jarosik states that she had become friends with Simmons ten years before because they shared “love and passion for meditation, yoga and a vegan diet” and trusted him due to his “reputation as a spiritual conscious person.”

She had been too embarrassed to come forward before, she said, guilty that she had not been able to fight back at the time.

Bit she decided to speak up after Simmons was accused of rape by four other women, as well as several other instances of sexual misconduct.

He has denied all allegations.

* US rapper Nelly filed papers on Friday asking to dismiss accusations that he raped a fan on his tour bus after a show in Seattle last October.

The complaint said he sexually assaulted two women after performances in England in June 2016 and December 2017.

Nelly denies all allegations.

* 31% of a survey of a thousand UK theatre professionals say they have suffered sexual harassment at work.

Conducted by The Stage magazine, over 40% revealed they had been bullied and almost 8% sexually assaulted at work.

67% did not report the incidents as in the past, no action was taken in four out of five complaints.

Some asserted that harassment and bullying were “ingrained into the theatre culture”, with others felt “systematically disrespected, devalued and belittled”.

Director of the National Theatre Rufus Norris called the revelations “shaming” and which “must force change”.

London’s Old Vic theatre has introduced a “guardians programme” to offer staff someone to talk to about any concerns they have.

This came after allegations made about actor Kevin Spacey who was its Artistic Director between 2004 and 2015.

* A woman groped at New Zealand’s Rhythm And Vine festival last month set up a women’s right march through Auckland after receiving abusive posts that she “deserved what she got” because she had been topless (with chest painted in glitter) at the time.

Madeline Anello-Kitzmiller said, “Nobody has the right to touch you without your consent.”

While she got much support, detractors claimed she was just attention seeking while a petition to have her deported back to her native United States received 900 signatures.