WOMEN MUSICIANS’ EXPERIENCES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT IN SCOTTISH FOLK MUSIC REPORT: OUR RESPONSE
On the 22nd of January, The University of Glasgow published a report from researchers based at the Scottish centre for Crime and Justice Research titled ‘Sexual violence and harassment in the Scottish folk music scene’.
The report found that 'four in five women musicians have experienced sexual violence and harassment while working or taking part in the Scottish folk music scene'. Here is our response:
We welcome the University of Glasgow report. It validates what women, trans and non-binary musicians have been saying for years, and it does so with robust evidence behind it. Crucially, this isn’t new. Earlier research by Catriona Hawksworth identified the same issues, and the BIT Collective’s own safeguarding research shows that concerns and gaps remain. That tells us the challenge isn’t awareness, but implementation.
It’s also important to say that the Scottish folk scene isn’t uniquely problematic, it reflects wider societal issues. What this report offers is a clear view of how those issues play out in a specific cultural microcosm. The findings make clear that culture change alone isn’t enough. Safety has to be built into structures, contracts, event planning, safeguarding roles, and funding agreements, rather than relying on individuals to manage risk themselves. A major gap remains accountability. People continue to ask where reports go, and who is actually responsible when something goes wrong. Without clarity, the burden falls on those experiencing harm. Codes of conduct could be an important step, but without clear enforcement they risk becoming symbolic. They need to be backed by proper training, meaningful consequences, and organisational responsibility. The folk and traditional music scene has particular challenges, informal gigs, small organisations, and blurred social and professional spaces, which means sector-specific solutions are essential.
In 2026, the BIT Collective is focusing on prevention through events and delivery, strengthening peer support, and continuing sexual harassment and violence training and bystander intervention work across the sector. In 2027, we plan to build on this by developing and sharing a hub of practical resources to support organisers and individuals to embed these changes consistently, helping turn the report’s recommendations into everyday practice rather than another document that gathers dust.
Image used for this blog was sourced from: https://www.sccjr.ac.uk/publication/women-musicians-experiences-scottish-folk-music/