Women alleging abuse in media are too often not protected, says British culture secretary

Women who allege abuse in the media are too often not protected by institutions, British Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has said. The issue has come under renewed scrutiny after actor Russell Brand was convicted of rape and sexual assault.

Asked on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme whether there was still a problem in the media and creative industries, Nandy said: "Yes, I do, and I think hand on heart I can't say to you as the culture secretary that this is not happening today. In fact, if I had to wager, I would say it is."

Nandy said there had not been much change in the way institutions in the media industry and across public life deal with women who very bravely come forward to allege abuse. In her words, they are not protected.

She said the power imbalances in industries like politics and media are huge. Many people work on short-term flexible contracts, and who you know and reputation are often the key to career advancement. Speaking up, she said, comes at a very heavy cost.

Brand was convicted on Thursday of raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others. He faces sentencing on Monday. After the verdicts it emerged that Brand was under investigation for two further rape allegations.

Brand's conviction renewed scrutiny of how the UK's entertainment industry has treated celebrities accused of abusing their power, with some women saying they feared speaking out could harm their careers.

Last week Nandy said the case must be a wake-up call to the media world and beyond, after widespread concerns over failures to confront Brand's behaviour.

She praised the BBC for signing up to the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, a whistleblowing body for those working in the creative industries, and for taking other steps in recent years, but she said there was more the corporation could do.

She added: "There are other institutions that haven't done that, and time is up. It really is time for the media industry to take this seriously and to put those practices into action."

Earlier, on Sky News Sunday Morning, Nandy said the government was considering what further steps it could take to help protect whistleblowers.

Brand's sentencing on Monday will bring the case back into focus, while the media industry waits to see what further steps the government takes to protect whistleblowers.