On Feb. 8, 2009, one of the biggest abuse scandals to rock the entertainment industry occurred. At approximately 12:30 a.m., the night before the Grammy Awards, an altercation took place between then 19-year-old singer and dancer, Chris Brown and his then-girlfriend, singer/songwriter, Rihanna. This altercation left Brown to be convicted as a felon, charged guilty of assault, and left Rihanna looking like this (viewer discretion is advised).

Fast-forward to a little over seven years later: Rihanna has released five albums since, and all her bruises and scars are now gone. You would expect Chris's career to be ruined or impacted by the charge, but instead, seemingly nothing has happened. He has released six albums since, collaborated with other artists, appeared in television shows and movies, gone on tour—he has not been profoundly/negatively impacted in his career whatsoever. But this is not the only instance where assault has been ignored, swept under the rug, or downplayed in the entertainment industry.

Seven years after the assault of Rihanna, singer/songwriter Kesha now finds herself in a somewhat similar situation. According to claims that Kesha made in 2014, shortly after signing as a client and Kesha turning 18, Dr. Luke, her manager, allegedly gave her drugs and proceeded to sexually assault her. This explains why she has not released music in two years, as she is too afraid to work further with Dr. Luke and therefore refuses collaboration. After deciding to take him to court, Kesha recently received the saddening news that a court judge ruled that she will not be released from her contract with Sony and must continue to work with Dr. Luke in the mean time.

What's wrong with this picture?

There's no justice. The same thing keeps happening to women in the industry and there is no justice. Assault is taken lightly, trivialized even, and victims are considered to be dramatic fabricators. Luckily for Kesha, other celebrities have come forward to show their support for her and her situation nonetheless.

Taylor Swift most recently donated $120,000 to Kesha to show her support. Meanwhile, other celebrities offer their support by way of their services and their words.

Zedd:

Jack Antonoff:

Lady Gaga:

There are countless other supporters, including her fans, but justice is currently still out of reach for Kesha. This is a sad reality that many women face when they are abused or assaulted in the entertainment industry, even when the press and media get involved with all of the coverage and divulge the specifics. This sad reality only serves to perpetuate sexism and injustice further in today's society as these situations play out in the spotlight for all to observe.

Multiple facets within the entertainment industry experience the injustice of abuse and assault (not just those involved in music), as represented by scandals such as those involving movie and television actor, Charlie Sheen, renowned television actor, Bill Cosby and most recently, adult film star, James Deen. Usually no matter the situation, the perpetrator claims allegations to be damaging and false, therefore manipulating the public's outlook on the victim and their claim, no matter if it is true or not. The irony of those in the entertainment industry is that they thrive off of drama, but they also often try to avoid conflict if something ever gets too serious or potentially damaging.

We live in a society today where sexual and domestic abuse and assault is not out of the ordinary. Many people are so familiar with it that many cases and claims are associated with "the boy who cried wolf" mentality. They are no longer taken seriously and are, as you have read above, belittled, and made out to be minimal in importance. This is not only damaging to the emotional and mental state of the victims, but it does not allow for justice to prevail.

It's time that we face the facts. It's time that we fight for justice. It's time that the entertainment industry recognizes that assault on women in the industry is a problem and that it is not going to end until all people, no matter their status in Hollywood, are held accountable for the atrocities they commit.

#FreeKesha #TilItHappensToYou