Music City is home to musicians of all types: multiple races and gender identities, spanning a wide range of styles and traditions, from country to hip-hop, rock and more. Nashville is a physical manifestation of your dreams, a place where musicians can grow, hone their craft, and feel safe at all times.

Unfortunately, that’s not the experience for everyone. A 2018 survey from the Music Industry Research Association revealed 67 percent of women in the music industry report that they have been victims of sexual harassment and 72 percent report experiencing discrimination in the workplace. It’s a heartbreaking reality that women in the music industry face every day, whether they perform in clubs or work in an office, and Nashville is not exempt.

Some artists confront this issue head-on. Abby Nissenbaum, a Connecticut-born, Nashville-based indie-rock and pop artist, has worked with organizations in her home state, such as the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence and your Connecticut Safe Bars programto raise funds for sexual violence prevention and awareness. (Although its mission is similar, it is not the same as the Safe bar program developed in Nashville by the Sexual Assault Center.) Nissenbaum is expanding his advocacy efforts in his adopted hometown with a show at The Bowery Vault on Friday. She will join fellow musicians Miggie Snyder and Kate Cosentino (once a contestant on The Voice) for a performance to benefit the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence.

“In terms of the security of the place… I’m a young woman,” Nissenbaum says. “Potentially I will go places alone or with another companion. So how can we stop aggression in those places and how can we make people feel more comfortable in those spaces?

The Connecticut Safe Bars organization helps raise awareness about sexual violence, especially in situations where alcohol is involved. They often work with bar staff on bystander intervention training, giving them the tools to intervene in situations where it might be necessary. Nissenbaum hopes that her support of the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence will not only raise money for similar awareness and prevention efforts, but also fight for clear legislation to prevent sexual violence and prevent harm to people. who want to help.

“I think those advocacy efforts are great because we’re preventing violence by teaching people to intervene,” he says. “But the other side of that coin is, when those people intervene, are they protected? Are they protected from retaliation? Is there any amnesty granted if they intervene incorrectly and more violence occurs? Those are the types of gaps that I particularly want to address as an artist and activist.”

This work overlaps with Nissenbaum’s study of social psychology; As a graduate student, she conducted research work on the prevention of sexual and gender violence. Their music dives into similar themes, exploring themes of power and agency. She offers a unique perspective on the overall conversation around power dynamics in the music industry as a young queer woman, and allows that to be part of her work.

Nissenbaum released his latest EP I don’t want to cry October 18. It focuses on indie pop, drawing inspiration from artists like Uh Huh Her and Novo Amor. These influences give the work a sound that you might hear from mid-August indie-pop artists if they had access to contemporary equipment and production techniques. .

The song “Perfect Crime” delves into how the industry often overlooks sexual violence. Nissenbaum takes a stance on how women who report sexual misconduct and abuse are often ignored or told to stay quiet, as she sings: “Only abusers flourish in silence / If you didn’t do anything wrong, then why try to hide it?”

“In general, influential people tend to sweep these accusations under the rug and silence the victims of their crimes,” he says. “Whether it’s through confidentiality agreements (or) telling them that they’re not allowed, if they’re paid, they’re not allowed to talk to the police or doctors or anyone about what happened to them. “I think that is something that is very prevalent in our society and is not talked about enough.”

While sexual violence and the imposition of a culture of silence about it can occur in any industry, Nissenbaum points out how strong the fear of retaliation can be in the music business.

“If you are making a name for yourself, anything could stop you from moving up and being successful. … If you’re moving up in the industry and someone powerful comes along and engages in violence against you, it’s really difficult.”