Sexual violence and harassment in the Scottish folk music scene
Published: 22 January 2026
Four in five women musician have experienced sexual violence and harassment while working or taking part in the Scottish folk music scene, according to new survey findings.
Four in five women musicians have experienced sexual violence and harassment while working or taking part in the Scottish folk music scene, according to new survey findings.
Researchers based at the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research at the University of Glasgow, surveyed 409 women musicians, most of whom were working musicians (89%), music teachers (29%) or music students (11%).
The findings reveal that while the Scottish folk scene was described as welcoming, nurturing, and culturally important, for many women musicians’ positive experiences of music-making coexist with experiences of inequality, harm, and exclusion.
They disclosed personal experiences which included intrusive sexualised comments and advances, pressure to engage in sexual activities, harassment and stalking, domestic abuse, sexual assault and rape.
The majority of participants identified the individuals responsible for the sexual violence and harassment were fellow musicians – with 72% of survey participants disclosing personal experiences involving music colleagues or peers, and 53% involving prominent musicians occupying positions of power.
One woman told researchers: "The person was a 'much loved character' on the scene, so he was believed, and I wasn't."
Dr Kelly Johnson, Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and who led the project team, said: "The Scottish folk scene is not alone in facing the challenges of sexual violence and harassment – it is an issue across the music industry and society more broadly. However, the findings speak to an urgent need to recognise the experiences of victim-survivors and address sexual violence and harassment as a workplace issue that affects the Scottish folk scene.
"In addition to the large number of women musicians impacted by sexual violence and harassment, it was also striking hearing that these experiences were not isolated or ‘one-off’ events. More than three-quarters (78%) of the participants reported multiple experiences of harassment and abuse, taking place across different folk-related contexts and settings."
Most of the experiences of sexual violence and harassment reported in the survey took place in social settings related to the folk scene, such as ‘sessions’ or when socialising after a performance.
One participant said: "I was raped by an [educator]… who is a well known musician in the scene. He followed me home after a session and refused to leave."
Another said: "I've had to lock myself in a car, I've had to leave gigs and go home, and I've had to continuously say no to a guy wanting to sleep with me. I've had married musicians kissing me...I've been hassled for ignoring drunken advances and called names. It puts me off the whole scene."
The research found that a central theme running across participants’ accounts was the role of fame, status, and industry influence in enabling harm and limiting accountability or perpetrators.
Professor Michele Burman, a co-author of the report, commented: "The Scottish folk music scene is small and primarily male-dominated, and participants felt many forms of sexual violence and harassment were normalised – rarely being formally acknowledged or met with meaningful consequences. Unfortunately, as a result some women left the scene entirely because they felt unsafe or unsupported. This is a sad state of affairs, resulting in a real loss of female talent."
One participant told researchers: "My experience of the folk music scene has been so toxic that I now no longer work in it... it is difficult to list all the different ways it has impacted me and how many incidents have taken place from ‘banter’ remarks to assault."
An overwhelming 92% of responding participants felt more needed to be done to make the Scottish folk scene a safer and more supportive space for women.
Researcher Dr Amy Cullen, who co-authored the report, said that whilst there is ongoing work making a difference in the scene, the music industry needs to take more collective and meaningful action to bring about accountability, safe-guarding and cultural change.
"We need a structural, collective response so that the scene can be safe and inclusive for everyone. We outline a series of recommendations which include introducing codes of conduct and working agreements that would strengthen the mechanisms for reporting incidents of sexual harassment or violence.
"The industry could also better support victim-survivors by ensuring there’s a designated safeguarding person on site such as at festivals or in educational settings. We would also recommend creating time and space for discussions around gender equality, conduct and respect within the community."
First published: 22 January 2026