Recent charges hint at a larger problem in the music industry

Singer-songwriter Alexander O’Conner, known by his stage name, Rex Orange County, appeared in court in London, England after being charged with six counts of sexual assault on Oct. 10.

According to The Sun, “The singer’s accuser alleges he sexually assaulted her twice in West London on June 1, and an additional four times the following day, including once in a taxi and the other three times in his Notting Hill home.”

Melina Osmundson, a fourth-year human development major said, “I am very disheartened by these allegations for a few reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that Rex Orange County has been seen as such a wholesome figure in the music industry, and his music is associated with such positivity, and provides happiness for so many people.”

This only serves as the most recent example of how prevelant sexual abuse is in the music industry. For years women have been sexually exploited or harrassed by popular musicians, and these perpetrators oftentimes face no consequences for their actions due to their popularity within the industry.

According to a survey conducted by Yougov in 2018, 40% of women report being sexually harassed at live music events, and 60% of industry professionals who are women have been subjected to sexual harrassment.

While these musicians are sometimes held accountable for their actions, in many instances they either get away with it for years before, or they are never charged for their actions.

For example, the singer Kesha sued her producer at the time, Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald, for, according to billboard, “Sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, civil harassment, violation of California’s laws against unfair business practices, infliction of emotional distress, and negligent retention and supervision.”

Despite these allegations, and testimony from others, this case was thrown away by a judge due to limited jurisdiction. This allowed Gottwald to practically get away with these alleged crimes, and he currently produces for popular artists such as Doja Cat.

The fact that he was in a position of power over Kesha is what enabled him to get away with this abuse, and serves as another example of men abusing their positions of power in the music industry to sexually abuse women with little to no repercussions for their actions.

“Sexual assault has been such a huge issue in the music industry, so this just feels like a bigger slap in the face. It’s another slap in the face knowing that there is yet another victim that has to deal with their trauma being so public,” said Osmundson.

These power dynamics allow both musicians and producers to get away with abuse, as their power allows them to cover up their wrongdoings and silence their victims by threatening their reputations. 

Recently, with the rise of the #metoo movement, this has started to change. This movement encourages women to speak up about their experiences, and has led to the incarceration of powerful figures, such as Harvey Weinstein, a producer who sexually assaulted women for decades. This movement has provided a platform to give sexual assault victims a voice, however with the recent charges against O’Conner, it shows that we still have a long way to go if we are to eliminate sexual abuse in the music industry.