As victims come forward with stories alleging sexual harassment and assault at the hands of prominent figures in the entertainment industry, problems in the music industry are also in the spotlight, and they can't be merely brushed off.
Last week, a woman accused Brand New lead singer Jesse Lacey of soliciting nude photos from her when she was 15. The allegations led to Lacey making a post on Facebook that didn't directly address the woman's claims. The band then canceled its upcoming U.K. tour.
Recommended Videos
The accusations aren't the first against members of the music industry.
Earlier this year, two Swedish music festivals were plagued by sexual assaults. The New York Times stated that there were five reports of rape and 12 reports of sexual molestation at Bravalla Festival and 32 reports of sexual assault at Putte i Parken.
Following the reports, next year's Bravalla festival was canceled.
Related: Drake pauses performance to call out a man groping women
This week, Spin reported that Goldenvoice, which promotes festivals and operates Coachella, parted ways with Sean Carlson after reports of sexual misconduct against him emerged. Carlson founded FYF Fest, a Los Angeles music festival.
Some bands have separated from members accused of sexual harassment, including Marilyn Manson, who recently parted ways with his bassist, Twiggy Ramirez, after sexual abuse allegations were made against him.
Other stories of sexual assault and harassment in the music industry were brought to light in October, when the hashtag #MeToo was trending on social media.
Artists, photographers and others in the music scene shared stories of harassment and abuse allegedly committed against them by artists, publicists, producers and others in the industry.
And while sexual harassment and assault allegations are being publicized more right now, they aren't new in the music industry.
And it needs to change.
Those in the industry need to stand up against sexual harassment and speak out against it; bands whose members have been accused need to be vocal.
As recent events have shown, a lot of misconduct has apparently been covered up and hidden from sight, until now.
Silence is not an option, and silence is probably a large contributor to why the industry is so full of misconduct and harassment. Victims are often afraid or ashamed to speak up, hence a sudden influx of accusations that date back years, but when there are witnesses, they can't turn their heads and pretend they didn't see it.
Of course, there aren't always witnesses, but it's still the job of everyone in the music industry to keep their eyes open and be proactive.
Concertgoers, artists, photographers, producers, security guards and anyone else involved in the music industry have a responsibility to be watchful and prepared to intervene when something doesn't seem right.
Sexual misconduct, assault and harassment are problems in the music scene, and acknowledging that fact is a start toward putting a stop to it. While the stories may be troubling to hear, it's a reality in the scene that cannot be ignored or overlooked, or it will continue to get worse.
It is important these issues are receiving publicity, because they are reminders that more needs to happen to make the scene a safe place for everyone. There's a lot of work that needs to be done in order to reach that goal.