
Female musicians have had enough.
In the wake of an assault at a Newcastle hotel in New South Wales over the Easter weekend, several singers have spoken out about their distressing experiences with male audience members.
Brisbane’s Maz DeVita was performing with her band Waax at the Cambridge Hotel on Sunday night when she was “quite aggressively groped” twice by the same man.
DeVita explained in an Instagram post that she couldn’t figure out who he was because he moved so quickly in a large crowd of people.
“But I hope you’re glad to know that I f**king felt it and it was extremely degrading,” she added. “I don’t know who you are, but you know who you are, and I want you to know that your disgusting behaviour is not welcome in our music scene or anywhere really. It is totally disrespectful and plain f**ked up.”
DeVita went on to say that musicians work hard and deserve respect.
“You wouldn’t grope someone in the grocery store, on the bus or in your workplace,” she added. “So what makes this situation any different? What am I to you? Last time I checked I’m a f**king human who deserves the right to her own body and the right to work in a safe environment.”
The Newcastle Herald reports that the incident is being investigated by the hotel’s management.
Top Comments
I think it's worse for these women because, unlike "someone in the grocery store, on the bus or in your workplace", they're putting so much of themselves and the things they care about into their work; there can be an immediacy and an honesty to their music that some will confuse as intimacy with the singer themselves. Understanding and respecting boundaries may impact that connection people may feel to the music, but it has to, because this sort of behaviour isn't acceptable - never has been, never will be.
I am so freakin’ sick of this shit. People need to learn to keep their damn hands and filthy comments to themselves. And if you find yourself doing things like this when you’re drunk, *stop drinking*. Just stop, and learn how to behave like a bloody human being.