Shocking statistics about sexual misconduct at music festivals
92% of women have experienced harassment or assault at a festival
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LIFESTYLE Music
As festival season is in full swing, there are a few things that people should consider while they dance the night away. A survey from Our Music My Body (OMMB), an organization that is working to increase awareness about sexual misconduct at music festivals, found that 92% of female festival goers have experienced harassment or assault at an event.
“I think there’s kind of a mindset of, ‘This is just what happens here. There’s really not anything we can do about it.’ I think a lot of people come at it as an inevitability,” music journalist Jessica Hopper told Marie Claire. “This is something that has been going on forever, but I think it’s really crucial that, first and foremost, people realize it doesn’t have to be this way. And secondly, it is on us to prevent it, not bandaid it after the fact.”
While many festivals such as Lollapalooza, Pitchfork, and Riot Fest have zero-tolerance policies, the fact is, much of the misconduct goes unnoticed by the festival administrators. The OMMB survey showed that 99% of respondents would be more likely to attend a music venue if there were stronger security measures in place, and 84% wished there was more festival staff trained on how to deal with sexual misconduct.
Everyone deserves to feel safe when attending a music festival. This summer, do your part in reporting and addressing sexual misconduct at events.