Rebekah posts open letter with #ForTheMusic pledge against sexual harassment in dance music

Rebekah has started an anti-sexual harassment campaign called #ForTheMusic.

The British DJ announced the new initiative in an Instagram post this week.

“After deciding I would like to mentor people to help bring them in to the industry,” she said, “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.”

The #ForTheMusic campaign starts with an open letter and petition at Change.org, pledging to protect artists, staff and partygoers from harassment, guarantee safe workplaces and other initiatives.

“We have lost our jobs, our careers, our credibility and our reputation by speaking out,” the open letter says. “Labelled promiscuous beings deserving of violence, we are told that our cuts and bruises mean nothing if aimed at those with gentle faces, and high followings. But not anymore. We have stayed quiet, and never went public. But not anymore. We tried to do this privately and found ourselves unheard. But not anymore.”

“In the last weeks we have seen our community divided,” it continues. “Willful ignorance, slut-shaming and a mistrust of victims testimonies in the face of systematic and rampant abuse has left many of us questioning if those founding values of love and freedom that we all came for, have finally been lost to a status quo which allows for an abuse of power, which encourages it, glorifies it even. There are predators in OUR scene—and this must not be tolerated any longer. We can no longer excuse the behavior of high profile artists because they are high profile anymore.”

Participants are encouraged to print out the #ForTheMusic poster (or create their own) and post a black-and-white photo of themselves.

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After all the reports coming out from women who have been sexually assaulted in the industry at the hands of powerful men had really made me analyse the scene and how it really is fucked up. 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 in to 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. 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. ?? We have a great opportunity to now assess what kind of industry we want to return to when it opens back up, what kind of people we place in these powerful positions and how we can we make clubs, festivals and after parties a safer place. ?? We all must be accountable and speak up about the abusers, allow people the benefit of the doubt when claiming abuse, as many stay silent for fear of retribution. To really look out for one another in our venues and parties. ?? 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, 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. ?? Will you stand with me? #ForTheMusic ?? Link is in the biog ☝?☝?☝? And if you’re tagged, I know ? you are in it #ForTheMusic and asking you to stand with me and share the message, together we are stronger ? To join the campaign, download the poster #ForTheMusic or create your own and share a b/w photo with the reasons to end the culture of silence and why you are #ForTheMusic and please share the link http://chng.it/rZG6TC9Z

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After all the reports coming out from women who have been sexually assaulted in the industry at the hands of powerful men had really made me analyse the scene and how it really is fucked up. 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 in to 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. 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. ?? We have a great opportunity to now assess what kind of industry we want to return to when it opens back up, what kind of people we place in these powerful positions and how we can we make clubs, festivals and after parties a safer place. ?? We all must be accountable and speak up about the abusers, allow people the benefit of the doubt when claiming abuse, as many stay silent for fear of retribution. To really look out for one another in our venues and parties. ?? 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, 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. ?? Will you stand with me? #ForTheMusic ?? Link is in the biog ☝?☝?☝? And if you’re tagged, I know ? you are in it #ForTheMusic and asking you to stand with me and share the message, together we are stronger ? To join the campaign, download the poster #ForTheMusic or create your own and share a b/w photo with the reasons to end the culture of silence and why you are #ForTheMusic and please share the link http://chng.it/rZG6TC9Z

A post shared by Rebekah (@djrebekah) on

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