NOWIE launches second survey following finding that 1 in 4 women in £60bn events industry reported sexual assault last year.
The Network of Women in Events CIC (NOWIE) has announced the launch of the second edition of the NOWIE Big Survey – a major UK-wide research project examining the experiences of women working across the events, live entertainment, music and festival industries.
The initiative comes at a time when the sector represents a £60 billion UK industry, spanning weddings, conferences, exhibitions, corporate events, festivals, and large-scale mega events, underscoring the scale and economic importance of the workforce being studied.
Following stark findings from its inaugural survey, NOWIE is significantly expanding the scale of the research in 2026, with a target of more than 1,000 respondents, making it one of the largest datasets of its kind focused on women’s safety and workplace culture within the industry.
The previous survey highlighted concerning levels of harm within the sector, with approximately 1 in 4 women reporting having experienced sexual assault linked to their work in events. It also exposed widespread issues around under-reporting, with respondents describing significant barriers to speaking up, including freelance and precarious employment conditions, fears of losing future work, and concerns about professional repercussions.
Alongside this, many participants pointed to a lack of accountability mechanisms and inconsistent reporting pathways, contributing to a broader culture where incidents often go unreported or are not formally addressed.
The 2026 survey will explore:
- Sexual harassment and assault
- Reporting procedures and barriers
- Employer accountability
- Safeguarding standards
- Freelance and touring vulnerabilities
- Career progression and retention
- Workplace culture across live events and entertainment
NOWIE says the aim is not only to document the scale of the issue, but to drive tangible reform across the sector.
“This research is about turning lived experiences into action,” said Cat Kevern, Managing Director of NOWIE.
“The events industry is an incredible space to work in, but the findings from our previous survey made it clear that too many women are still navigating unsafe environments, inconsistent reporting structures and a lack of accountability. We believe meaningful change starts with robust data, honest conversations and industry-wide responsibility.”
The organisation is also aligning the project with wider national Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) recommendations, and has begun engaging with politicians and policymakers, with the aim of bringing findings and recommendations into parliamentary discussions later this year.
Jo Platt MP will be supporting the NOWIE Big Survey 2026, endorsing its aim to strengthen the evidence base on workplace safety and to help drive improved protections and reporting practices across the events industry. Speaking about the initiative, she said:
“This research shines a vital light on the lived experiences of women working across the events industry, an essential but often under-recognised part of the UK economy. The findings underline the urgent need for stronger safeguarding, clearer reporting routes, and a culture where people feel safe to speak up without fear of damaging their careers.
Initiatives like the NOWIE Big Survey are crucial in driving the evidence base needed to support meaningful, lasting change across the sector.”
The survey can be found here and will run from 17th June to August 2026, with full findings and recommendations published in September.
