University of the West Indies lecturer Professor Donna Hope is weighing in on what is being described as the # m e t oo moment occurring in the local music industry.

In the latest incident, a post from singer Lila Iké’s Twitter account has indicated that she too has been the victim of sexual abuse.

For Hope, the current pandemic, as well as the reach and scope of social media and the Internet, in general, are but some of the factors behind the number of people finding the confidence to speak out at this time.

“This is something I have been noticing and taking note of. Tanya Stephens has always been pretty vocal over the years about being raped, but it reached a lot more ears this time due to social media and the down time many are experiencing as a result of the pandemic. Then there was Macka Diamond, who spoke up about the abuse she received at the hands of men in the music industry. The truth is a lot of these women are just feeling freer and more empowered to speak up at this time and have the vehicle of social media to tell their story,” Hope told the Jamaica Observer.

In a series of tweets from her account Lila Iké shared: “Men have done nothing but break me. And my mom and my grandmother.”

“I’ve been raped.”

“Molested.”

Further tweets hint at a possible declaration of her sexuality.

“I am Lila Iké. I am into women and I’ve been making reggae music.”

“So what if I’m into women? My music isn’t real?” the tweets read.

Hope said there are two different issues being dealt with here.

“I don’t agree with her giving the impression that she is coming out of the closet because of the things men have done to her. These are separate issues of sex and sexuality. While they are both important, [both] should not be put together. But, in terms of the abuse, this is something the industry faces quite a bit and this is due to the hyper-masculinity on show in the music business which tends to be male-dominated.”

“A lot of people did not pick up on the comments made by DJ Lady Ann following Sister Charmaine’s funeral when she remarked that the abuse she suffered in the business contributed to her walking away from music once she migrated to the United States,” said the lecturer.

Hope further explained the impact that speaking on issues of sexual abuse or coming out and declaring one’s sexuality could have on women’s careers.

“Women in the music have been uncomfortable in the past to speak out on sexual abuse because they felt it could harm their career. But the truth is, the world is changing and some feel so empowered that they are brave enough to speak up without fear of a backlash. As for sexuality, women are more fortunate as they are not subject to the stigma attached to male homosexuals. There is a stronger resistance to men coming out than women. There has been a lot of speculation about the sexual orientation of another female artiste but that has not stopped her from moving forward with her career. The world has moved on and, in certain respects; Jamaica is catching up and so persons are shaking the Victorian restraints and embracing a certain level of democracy and we can’t hold them back,” said Hope.