“Labels will continue to support accused artists, unless it harms their profits,” says researcher and activist

Seven years after the #MeToo wave in the cinema industry, is it the music industry’s turn? The September 16 arrest of hip-hop figure Sean Combs, better known as P. Diddy or Diddy, brings the issue to the forefront. The powerful American rapper and producer, who contributed to the emergence of hip-hop stars like Notorious BIG, Usher and Mary J. Blige, is accused of having used his musical empire to rape or sexually assault more than a hundred people. He is suspected of sex trafficking and using alcohol and drugs to force victims into submission. The first accusations date back to the early 1990s.

In 2019, the revelations of sex crimes and child pornography concerning R&B star R. Kelly prompted several media outlets to question a change in behavior and mentalities in the music industry. But, although the singer was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison, little change has been observed since in this environment where the “sex, drugs and alcohol” lifestyle remains commonplace. Will the P. Diddy affair change the situation? Franceinfo interviewed Caroline Heldman, professor of gender studies at Californian University Occidental College, and co-founder of the Sound Off Coalition, which fights against sexual violence in the music industry.

Franceinfo: What are the accusations made against P. Diddy?

Caroline Heldman: P. Diddy has been the subject of numerous civil lawsuits from survivors for sexual harassment, non-consensual pornography, sex trafficking and rape, lawsuits he will likely settle out of court. He also faces serious federal criminal charges for sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He was denied bail and faces a possible life sentence if convicted.

The first accusations against the rapper date back to the early 1990s. Why is the affair only coming to light now?

The vast majority of rape victims (63%), [selon une étude (en PDF) du Centre national de ressources sur les violences sexuelles américain] never denounce this heinous crime and, for those who do, it often takes decades before they come forward. Survivors fear reprisals and being stigmatized. In the case of P. Diddy, his empire facilitated both this abuse and the silence of these survivors.

“The victims report that P. Diddy reduced them to silence by threatening them with violence, making compromising videos public, destroying their careers. It’s a miracle that some spoke out today.”

Caroline Heldman, professor at the University of California Occidental College

at franceinfo

Survivors are also coming forward through the Adult Survivors Act. In New York and California, this legislation allows the limitation period for sexual violence to be exceeded. The statute of limitations for rape prosecutions is indeed arbitrary and prevents victims from obtaining justice. However, it takes so long to overcome the obstacles to reporting a rape…

What do we know about the victims?

More than 100 people reported various forms of sexual violence. Diddy appears to have specifically targeted vulnerable women, whom he could manipulate. Fans, assistants, women wanting to break into music… The fact that they are little or not known explains the enormous difference between the #MeToo movement in Hollywood and the one that is slow to emerge in the music industry. In cinema, it was worn by some of the most powerful women in the industry — Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd… They were able to speak in groups because they had power, to the point that the producer Harvey Weinstein could no longer sabotage their careers.

“If the most prominent women in the music industry came together to speak out against the rampant sexual violence in the industry, we would see a true #MeToo movement in music.”

Caroline Heldman

at franceinfo

But is the anonymity of the complainants important to them and the legal treatment of the case?

The anonymity of survivors is essential. Beyond the retaliation they could suffer from P. Diddy, victims could also face cyberstalking or death threats. As an advocate for survivors, I am fighting to keep their names out of the press because it would disrupt their lives and send a terrible message to other survivors: if you speak out, you will become a target.

Cassie [de son vrai nom Cassandra Ventura, ancienne compagne de P. Diddy] is a heroine in this case. By speaking out publicly, she sacrificed her peace and faced an avalanche of harassment from P. Diddy fans. But she paved the way for other survivors who were suffering in silence. Women like Cassie and Gisèle Pelicot sacrifice their private lives to give strength to others.

The American music industry seemed to have known about the parties organized by P. Diddy for years. Why was she silent?

I doubt that many people who attended P. Diddy’s parties realized that they were the scene of such sexual violence. But what does it say about the music industry that human trafficking and rape may have been hidden in plain sight at parties? The music industry promotes the myth of the rock star, which normalizes sexual violence with aspiring artists and fans. The major labels in the music industry encourage this violence by covering it up and silencing the women who denounce it.

The Sound Off Coalition has just released a report (in PDF) on seventy years of sexual violence in the music industry, and the cover-up by its executives seems systematic. Executives regularly make deals with survivors, make them sign NDAs [“non-disclosure agreements” ou “accords de non-divulgation”] and push them out of the industry. Surprisingly high rates of sexual violence in the music industry simply wouldn’t be possible without all those managers and lawyers covering up and defending perpetrators.

Do you think this case will spark a #MeToo movement in the music industry?

Russell Simmons [un des fondateurs du mythique label de hip-hop Def Jam Recordings]R. Kelly, and now P. Diddy. Sexual violence in the music industry is now in the media, but I’m waiting to see if this will cause real change. The music industry is very good at protecting the artists who generate the most revenue, even if they are accused of rape. In recent years, many survivors have denounced sexual violence at the hands of Marilyn Manson, Axl Rose [du groupe Guns N’ Roses] and Nick Carter [des Backstreet Boys]. They are all on tour now. Labels will continue to support accused artists unless it hurts their profits.