The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has issued a joint statement with Secret Garden Party regarding the issue of sexual assaults at festivals.
The statement, which follows a report of a rape at 2015’s Secret Garden Party, and growing media coverage of sexual assaults at festivals both in the UK and abroad, calls for “clarity regarding recent articles in the media” and accuses some sections of “scaremongering on what is obviously a very serious subject”.
AIF general manager Paul Reed claimed that some recent articles have been poorly researched and, in some instances, entirely inaccurate, with Secret Garden Party also stating that some writers lied about contacting its office or representatives, adding that such reporting “risk actively endangering our audience by convincing them we don't care, that there is no point approaching us with their concerns and by portraying festivals as a place where people can expect to get away with this kind of behaviour”.
The festival said it has requested dialogue with women’s organisation Good Night Out, and engaged in “correspondence with individuals who have concerns on this issue, offering an open and transparent forum for debate.”
AIF is now planning a public facing awareness campaign addressing the issue, working with appropriate partner organisations to get clear safety messages out to audiences alongside producing a shared charter of best practice and vulnerability policies for members and the wider industry.
FOLLOW 
