Sexual Misconduct Prevention

In This Section

The League of American Orchestras encourages its members to follow best practices in preventing sexual misconduct, and in responding to reports. Toward this end, below are some resources.

Understanding Sexual Violence

25% of all women, 26% of gay men, 37% of bisexual men and 44% of lesbian women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime;  and bisexual women, trans women and women of color experience higher risks. 70% of LGBTQIA+ community members have been sexually harassed at work.  The National Sexual Violence Resource Center offers these and other statistics, alongside resources for survivors, allies, and advocates.  

Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace 

This is a good place to start—it’s a short overview from a very well respected legal publisher, Nolo.

What Works to Prevent Harassment

An article from the New York Times on evidence-based methods for preventing sexual harassment. Despite its title, the article does recommend training, but training executed in certain ways.

Support for Survivors and Allies

24/7 support by phone and live chat is available on RAINN’s website, which – among many other useful resources – also offers a helpful link to current laws in each state.

Promising Practices for Preventing Harassment

This is a comprehensive set of guidelines from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The Board’s Role

It’s Time for Nonprofit Boards to Have a Conversation about Sexual Misconduct (PDF) is an article by BoardSource President and CEO Anne Wallestad. It was originally published by Nonprofit Quarterly online on February 22, 2018, and was reprinted in Symphony magazine with permission.

Resources from the Society for Human Resource Management

This highly regarded association has dozens of resources on sexual harassment prevention, including training, policies, and investigation protocols. Some are free to non-members, but many require membership. The $199 membership fee could provide a great return on investment given the wealth of resources offered here, not only on sexual harassment but hundreds of other topics.  Membership includes the ability to consult an HR advisor with specific questions, which the association says many members believe is alone worth the cost of membership. Find information on benefits here and information on joining here.

League Resources on Gender Equity

While American orchestras have achieved great strides in gender equality over the past few decades, there is still work to be done to promote equity and to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination, particularly against women of color. View the League’s resources. Gender Equity – americanorchestras.org

Symphony – the magazine of the League of American Orchestras

Find articles on sexual harassment in the classical music world through the League’s signature publication, Symphony.

Music Industry Insights

This report from the UK’s Independent Society of Musicians explores how discrimination is often used as a mechanism to exhibit power and control over others who are often younger, female and trying to establish their career in music.