Seven years after the “MeToo” movement, which caused an earthquake in Hollywood against the backdrop of… The famous producer Harvey Weinstein scandalthe arrest of rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs has resurfaced the issue of sexual assault in the entertainment industry.
After accusations were made against the singer known as “P Diddy”, human rights activists and observers in the music community hope that the new scandal represents an opportunity for broader accountability in the sector.
The influential singer and producer is accused of using his music empire to rape or sexually assault more than 100 people, using alcohol and drugs to subjugate them.
Country music star Garth Brooks is facing a similar case, as a hairdresser and makeup artist who previously worked with him accused him of raping her, which he denied.
A series of accusations were made 5 years ago against R&B star R. Kelly committed sexual crimes against a number of teenage girls, which prompted several media outlets to question the possibility of change in the music sector.
The singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted of sexual crimes, exploiting children to produce pornographic materials, and deceiving a minor.
But the movement for change has since remained limited to the music world, which has long been associated with sex and drugs.
Sexual assault accusations also targeted American singer Marilyn Manson, rap producer Russell Simmons, DJ Diplo, producer Dr. Luke, and others influential in the sector, without any significant actual repercussions.
Awe of “geniuses”
University professor Caroline Heldman, co-founder of the “Sound of Coalition” association, which combats sexual violence in the music industry, said that there are “privileges enjoyed by rock stars,” noting that many victims considered that “they should have expected this bad behavior.” “Given that they were in front of 'rock stars'.”
As for a professor at Washington and Lee University, Kate Grover, she pointed out that these stars are also surrounded by the aura of “geniuses” that is widespread in the world of music.
Grover, who conducts studies on the impact of gender in the music sector, added that “calling someone a genius somehow creates a concept of scarcity,” which leads to the belief that the individual is too talented to fail.
But “women are seen as more disposable in the music sector than men,” she says.
In the opinion of experts, the color of the skin and the degree of fame of the victim play a role in the uproar caused by these cases of sexual violence. In the case of R. Kelly, for example, said the victims were teenage girls and black women “who did not have the power derived from fame that the actresses accusing Harvey Weinstein had,” according to Grover.
'A real threat'
In addition, the most famous music stars often built real empires and “hired people to help them” at the stage of committing these crimes, according to Professor Carolyn Heldman.
She considered that the accusations against Sean Combs, which opened the door to a complaint filed against him last year by his former life partner, singer “Cassie” Ventura, “clearly demonstrate the ability of some people in the music industry to use their capabilities to silence victims.”
After Cassie's complaint, other figures in the sector were sued.
Singer Tiffany Reed said last December, “The deep-rooted rape culture and misogyny in the music industry pose a real threat to the safety of many people.” She added, “How can we expect significant change when officials and stars are accused of committing these crimes?”
What is worse, according to Heldman, is that there is a disturbing commercial phenomenon, which is evident in the fact that sales of R.’s works. Kelly, for example, increased by more than 500 percent after his conviction, and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ music saw a 18.3 percent increase on streaming platforms the week he was arrested, according to Luminet.
It is likely that this phenomenon is partly due to the curiosity aroused by the media hype regarding these scandals, and also resulting from the desire of the fans of these stars to support them.
“I have been working with (victims of sexual violence) from many backgrounds for years, and I have never seen anything like the devotion fans have for musical artists,” she said.
However, she expressed her belief that there is a change taking place. She stressed that an artist who committed such crimes “now knows that he can no longer commit any mistake.”