admin
Gender-based violence (GBV), exploitation, being underpaid, discrimination and inequality are some of the issues that women in the music industry grapple with daily.
This was revealed yesterday in a new study on Women’s Rights and Representation in the South African Music Sector conducted by Tara Transform. The study was commissioned by the South African Music Rights Organisation (Samro).
The report was conducted through interviewing 10 female singers ranging from popular culture to jazz and opera, journalists, radio broadcasters as well as a group of male singers.
The study revealed that women experience a lot of violence (verbal abuse, and sexual harassment and abuse), which is the result of the structural patriarchy that has led to a boy’s club culture.
Occupations in the industry are strongly gender-driven by stereotypes, and characterised by pay gaps.
The report shows that women struggle to be promoted, which is why most of them are found in marketing and public relations, and not in creative jobs like artist and repertoire or artist managers. In order to succeed, they are coerced into giving sexual favours as they are vulnerable and always at a disadvantage in terms of recourse.
According to Tara Transform researcher and CEO Shireen Motara, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse take place in many different ways and different places.
“It happens in different places for women; when you are negotiating a contract, when you’re trying to have a conversation with someone to give you an opportunity, and when you’re trying to showcase yourself. It happens in spaces where women are particularly vulnerable because, for example, artists perform at night and venues are not always safe. Women get touched by anyone and everyone, including band members who don’t take them seriously, and who just see them as singers,” Motara said.
Her view was echoed by guitarist, music composer and vocalist Berita, who welcomed the study. She said women in the music industry needed a lot of counselling due to the trauma they experienced.
“Women become victims of abuse from the minute they walk into the company carrying their voice. You walk into a company that is owned by a male figure, and you do not have resources to go to the studio and to market the product.
“To survive in the industry women need to develope a thick skin. That is why in my organisation we encourage women to play at least one instrument, just to take their power back. I can write songs and I can play songs too. When I walk into a rehearsal I walk in with my guitar, and that earns me some respect.”
When it comes to pay gaps, the study revealed that females in the music industry were paid 27% to 30% less than males, and as a result they were often living from hand to mouth.
Berita said it was demoralising for female artists to be paid less for the same job as their male counterparts.
“As women there are a lot of expectations. Guys perform wearing shorts and T-shirts while women have to show up looking good, and that is costly.
“In this industry when you do well they think that you are sleeping your way to the top. Not one believes things happen because women work hard and deserve to be here,” Berita said.
Motara said: “What we gathered is that since the industry is not big, people come back and tell women that they were paid less than men. The reason is that women are sexualised and not taken seriously. It is always a case that they are doing you a favour.” — Sowetan.
Online Reporter