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DJ Rebekah launches campaign against sexual harassment and assault in dance music industry
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 29 September 2020
Techno DJ Rebekah has launched a new campaign, called #ForTheMusic, seeking to call out and tackle sexual harassment and assault in the dance music industry.
The launch of the campaign follows new accusations against a number of men working in dance music in the wake of the recent death of Erick Morrillo – particularly against Morillo himself and Derrick May.
“After all the reports coming out from women who have been sexually assaulted in the industry at the hands of powerful men, it really made me analyse the scene and how it really is fucked up”, says Rebekah in an Instagram post. “We have turned a blind eye, stayed silent and let things carry on how they have always been for far too long”.
“After deciding I would like to mentor people to help bring them into the industry it became apparent I was unable to do this unless I stood up and tried to fight to make the industry a safer place all round”, she goes on. “How can I mentor women and members of the LGBQT++ community, knowing they will face sexism, harassment and, at worst, assault and rape, and stay silent on this issue?”
“So with this I’m asking you to read and sign an open letter on change.org asking the industry to be accountable, to make changes”, she concludes. “To look out for our most vulnerable, because – after 24 years in this industry – I see we have made little to no progress in ending the culture of silence”.
Rebekah is calling on dance music companies to sign up to a pledge, committing to:
• Ensure that artists, employees and audiences are protected against sexual harassment.
• Guarantee employees of the industry a safe workplace.
• Demand artists and performers to end the culture of silence, be allies and to speak out when they witness sexual harassment happening.
• Hold clubs accountable for ensuring a safe space for performers, employees and audiences free from sexual harassment.
Find out more about the campaign and sign the petition here.
