Whenever one thinks of sexual exploitation, most often than not what comes to mind is scenes from a fast paced thriller about busting human trafficking rings and other organized crimes. However, the fact is that it is a very widespread vice which impedes the ability of its victims from realizing their potential in the very place that should have ideally brought them joy and fulfillment.
The creative industry is an exciting place, where people who love to share what the ideas that they have contrived in their minds thrive. Anyone who consumes film, TV, music, fashion knows that it is this imagination made into reality that makes this world a better place to be in.
I would like you to have a look at your local popular music playlist, how many women feature in it? Also take time to listen to the music from your favorite DJ’s playlist, how many women make up that playlist? The simple fact is that here is an untold story about why there are so few women in the industry who are making it through in this lucrative industry, which is sexual exploitation.
Sexual exploitation is defined loosely as actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability ,power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.
On my part, I started out in the creative industry as a young guitarist, however, i was lucky because my brothers were already in the music industry. Being that i was introduced to the industry early, I was well aware that there was a vulnerability that women in the industry had. At the time, my older brothers always accompanied me for all my studio visits which i didn’t get at the time but looking back, i now realize that it was for my protection. and looking back now.
Auditions
Most often than not, the music industry sees women as singers who are then divided into lead singers and back ground vocalists. The thing about being an instrumentalist, the boys in the band often forgot there is a woman in the room when they talked about how “auditioning” was a requirement for singers to join the band. It was said with knowing smiles exchanged between those who were part of the “auditioning” process.
Putting it bluntly women were expected to exchange sexual favors for a place in the band, a place in the studio, to pay for studio time, to get a place in a show or to get played on radio. Favors which their male peers did not and do not contend with.
It is a fact that many of those sitting in these positions of power happen to be of the male gender. As such, this creates a barrier to entry for women due to the fact that they are expected to be willing to do what is takes for a seat at the table which usually entails granting sexual favors.
In an already cut-throat industry with very high stakes, there is a lot that women in the industry have to go through in order to get their work out there. A good example of this is in production where producers prey on young creatives whether in the music, TV or film industry and demand favors in order to give them access to opportunities that could change their lives for the better.
Sadly, there is no Human Resources manual in the creative industry, no human resource managers to report abuse to, and also no procedure to follow when one goes through this kind of abuse.
Opportunities for work
The barriers to entry for work exist in every sector but in the creative sector, the informal way the industry is set up means that the opportunities for work lie in the hands of the few who went before and have been there for a while.
One only needs to check the line up for major festivals and realize that while the audience population for most festivals is female, rarely does the line up reflect the same proportion except for those festivals that are designed by, with and for the female audience.
Monetary Exploitation
Sexual Exploitation is closely related to monetary exploitation, in fact the whole point of those who exploit the vulnerable in this way is to exercise power and control over the victims and this includes financial
control.
The perpetrators are vicious enough to use what they practice to gain leverage from their exploitation of their victims. There have been “exposes” over the years directed at victims of this kind of exploitation
with the very intention to cripple the ability of these victims to make a living from this industry.
Further with the barriers to entry that these abusers create for their victims, there is a limit to the kind of income that many of the victims can make due to the demands that they make on the victims.
When Exploitation happens
The social media streets are rife with stories of men who have taken advantage of women in many ways. The stories usually have details of how it happened, when it happened, how it was covered up if at all. The ensuing blame game of abuser apologists who blame the victim for everything that happened to them.
There have been hashtags movements calling on the canceling of well known abusers in the industry but
those end with the news cycles with no consequences to those who abuse their positions of power in the industry. There is rarely recourse for the victims who go through this and it important that all actors in the industry including the audience make a stand against the perpetrators.
Do Better
The unfortunate fact is that, this is happening every day in every realm of the creative industry. It is a question of humanity, the victims are human beings who should have the right to be treated as human beings, we hope now that we know better, we will do better.