NDAs in music “silence” victims of abuse, according to new parliament report

Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in music are “frequently used to silence victims of harassment and abuse”, according to a new parliament report.

The report, titled ‘Misogyny In Music: On Repeat’, was released by The Women and Equalities Committee on Wednesday, June 4, and argues that the misuse of NDAs is a “major concern”.

It addresses the “psychological toll” of these agreements within music, and the “power imbalance” that makes them harmful to those who sign them, suggesting a ban of NDAs in cases involving “sexual misconduct, bullying, or discrimination”.

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The report is the third of its kind from the committee, with the first published in January 2024 finding that women in the music industry face harassment, misogyny, and discrimination – of which the Conservative government at the time rejected the implementation of any suggestions made.

A later report published in September 2024 saw the passing of a motion that called on the government to implement the suggestions in full, per The Guardian.

“Our predecessor committee heard that NDAs are also being used to prevent victims of discrimination, harassment and abuse from speaking about their experiences or from pursuing a resolution via the Employment Tribunal,” the new report reads.

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“Women the committee spoke to described how they were coerced into signing by businesses who threatened to ruin them financially or reputationally if they refused.”

The latest Misogyny In Music report suggests “bringing forward legislation to prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and other forms of confidentiality agreements” in those specific cases.

“Power imbalances in the music sector mean that victims of unacceptable behaviour have little agency in the process of deciding whether to sign an NDA,” it reads.

Read ‘Misogyny In Music: On Repeat’ in full here.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter