Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the BBC on Sunday that sexual abuse continues to be a problem within the media and entertainment industries. Speaking on the issue, Nandy stated that she could not say as the culture secretary that these incidents are not happening today and added that if she had to wager, she would say they are.
The minister's comments follow the conviction of Russell Brand on Thursday for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. The conviction has brought renewed scrutiny of how Britain’s entertainment industry has treated well-known performers accused of abusing their power, with some women saying they feared speaking out could harm their careers.
Nandy noted that people have come forward to her with allegations, but she observed that women are often fearful of challenging their employers because "speaking up has a very heavy cost." She concluded by stating, "Time is up," and asserted that it is time for the media industry to take the issue seriously.
The situation comes as Brand, the former husband of US pop singer Katy Perry, is facing a lengthy jail term after his conviction and Britain’s top police officer said on Friday he was likely to face further allegations as more victims come forward.
The media industry has faced recent specific controversies. Channel 4 cancelled "Married at First Sight UK" earlier this month following a review prompted by serious allegations of misconduct during the making of the reality show. Additionally, the broadcaster removed all previous seasons of the show in May after a BBC report detailed allegations of rape by two women during filming.
