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Sexual abuse and harrasment are ever growing issues all across the world, but for those in the entertainment industry, these activities seem to get swept under a rug. This all began to change in October of 2017 when Harvey Weinstein, a top-tier hollywood producer, was found guilty of rape.
On this day more than 200,000 abuse victims and supporters took to the internet with the hashtag #MeToo. The #MeToo campaign emboldened victims and witnesses to share their own stories of sexual misconduct to not only bring global consciousness to the “industry” culture, but to tear it down.
And according to the New York Times, it is working. They reported that after the movement began over 200 men lost their jobs after public allegations of harassment and assault. This movement even sparked new laws in several states including California, New Jersey and New York, to ban nondisclosure agreements in the cases involving sexual assault.
Cases involving sexual abuse must be handled thoughtfully and courteously. The team of sexual assault attorneys at Mase Seitz Briggs in Miami, Florida, has successfully handled several lawsuits involving sexual assault and harrassment.
One case our award-winning legal team handled, resulted in a multimillion dollar settlement of over $4,000,000. Our client was involved in a non-consensual sexual relationship in which they were unknowingly exposed to and contracted a sexually transmitted disease by a well-known individual in the entertainment industry. Our team brought a claim against him for failure to disclose his condition and obtained a confidential pre-suit settlement for our client.
On March 25th, 2024 federal officials simultaneously raided the two homes of a well-known American rapper and producer, Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy or Puff Daddy. This raid followed allegations from a fellow music producer who accused Combs of being the leader of a sex-trafficing enterprise.
Many speculate this raid is also related to a lawsuit which was settled in late 2023 by Combs out of court. In November of 2023 his ex-partner filed a federal lawsuit containing explicit allegations of sexual and physical abuse, intimidation, rape, and forcing her into sexual acts with escorts while he party watched. These accusations are closely enough related to the accusations he is facing now that it is believed she was involved in the alleged sex trafficking ring.
At this time, the real reason and target for the raid are undisclosed but it appears that the Department of Homeland Security is involved with the case as well as local law enforcement and the FBI.
This situation brings even more attention to the dark underbelly of the entertainment industry. With so many wealthy and influential men in the entertainment industry being exposed as sexual predators, who else is involved that we don’t know about? How many victims have been exposed to this kind of abuse right under the public’s noses?
Sex trafficking is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Sex traffickers or “pimps” use force, coercion, and/or fraud to recruit and transport their victims. This is a heinous crime that is closely watched for but can, unfortunately, be difficult to track if an individual or group is carefully covering their tracks.
In the music industry, it can be especially hard to spot because there is typically the illusion of consent. A person may agree to spend time alone with an abusive person if it benefits their career or if that career is threatened by a person with power over them.
Because the music industry is such a competitive and interwoven industry, it is likely that many music producers, writers, and artists are aware of these issues and have simply let it go to save themselves the trouble of standing up for what is right.
A new docu-series, Quiet on Set has gained momentum in recent weeks, exposing the toxic culture of child entertainment, specifically Nickelodeon, a channel famous for its sketch comedy and absurdist humor. Nickelodeon has helped launch the careers of mega-stars like Ariana Grande, Amanda Bynes, Kenan Thompson, and dozens more. This breakout tell-all has shed a light on the dangers that may lurk in the child television industry.
With one of the largest child entertainment networks being exposed to such intense criticism for the alleged actions of showrunner, Dan Schneider, acting coach, Brian Peck, and production assistant, Jason Handy. The allegations include everything from writing purposefully sexually charged scenes for the child actors to portray, knowing that they could be misconstrued to the very famous 2004 case of rape and abuse of a minor.
Our hearts go out to all involved in these horrific conditions. No child deserves to be objectified like so many were and we hope to stand as a beacon of hope for any adults who faced childhood sexual abuse in the film industry or parents of child actors who suspect inappropriate behavior.
At Mase Seitz Briggs, we understand the weight of these kinds of accusations and we do not take them lightly. We are passionate about finding those responsible for sexual assault and abuse and holding them accountable for the harm they have done.
If you or a loved one has suffered from sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, or in any situation, you should rely on an attorney that you can trust to help guide you through the process and protect your right. Give us a call today at (305) 377-3770 or submit a confidential request to schedule your obligation-free consultation.