Royal Academy of Music told to end ‘casting couch’ culture
THE Royal Academy of Music has been told to clamp down on a “casting couch” culture after students alleged they were harassed by teachers.
Britain’s foremost musical conservatoire launched a review into impropriety last year following complaints against some teachers, with claims one told a student to “go work in a brothel”.
One young person attending the London institution was allegedly asked to perform a sex act to please their tutor, while another was told to “get used to the casting couch”.
An independent report has now found that students at the academy developed a “fear of speaking out” because they believed “powerful individuals” could damage their careers.
There was a “lack of uniformity and rigour” in keeping people safe and the institution risked being viewed as concerned with “reputational damage limitation rather than the well-being of those involved”.
The independent report recommends all staff at the London conservatoire should be given mandatory training in misconduct regardless of “eminence” or seniority.
It also calls for new practices to allow students to bypass “powerful” figures with “influence” when making complaints about improper behaviour.
The review, chaired by Prof Peter Kopelman, from the University of London, said it uncovered “a widespread culture among conservatoire students of the fear of ‘speaking out’ that appears to stem from the belief that powerful i ndividuals have the potential to adversely influence opportunities for those in the music profession”.
The review calls for new practices to allow students to bypass ‘powerful’ figures when making complaints
A 20-point plan for measures to guarantee student well-being has been put to the academy to ensure a “zero tolerance” approach to misconduct.
The complaints procedure f or students to flag concerns should be made easier, the report suggests, with a neutral figure able to handle their concerns free from the fear of academic repercussions.
A spokesman for the governing body said: “We have started to implement the recommendations, including an external anonymous reporting system, and will be implementing the remaining recommendations in full.”