A short reflection on the case of Rammstein
WARNING: This text talks about sexual assault and violence. If this triggers you, please take steps corresponding to your needs when reading it.
This is a reflection of my own opinion on the accusations that have been made against the band Rammstein by several women*. I mostly want to point out how their harmful behavior makes part of and reproduces a patriarchal and sexist system. I acknowledge that none of the band members have been found guilty — but this is not the focus of this text.
When I started writing this text, I simply wanted to put my thoughts into words. I didn’t think about the format, or where exactly I was going with it. I suddenly felt the need to let them out. It was because I was tired. So tired of certain public opinions on sexism, sexual harassment, violence against women*, cat-calling, and the way our society treats survivors who come forward to tell their stories. In particular, I was outraged by the incidents that had taken place at several Rammstein concerts, and especially by the way some people sided with the band immediately and blamed the victims instead.
To give you some context: Several women* have come forward against the band Rammstein — mainly the lead singer Till Lindemann — sharing their experiences at concerts in various places. They all describe a recruitment system for women* for Rammstein concerts, led by a person who used to work for the band, to have access to the row right in front of the stage, the so-called ‘row-zero’. These women* are also invited to pre- or after show parties, which always included alcohol, and to — and this is when it gets very alarming — to have sex with Till Lindemann. Sometimes even in between two songs.
The first woman who shared this publicly was Shelby Lynn. She spoke about her experience at a concert in Vilnius with the lead singer, Till Lindemann. Lynn was invited to join row zero at that concert prior to the event, through a WhatsApp group, organized by one of Rammstein’s (former) staff members. During an intermission, she was in a room with Lindemann who wanted to have sex with her; she refused, which left him angry, but nothing happened according to Lynn. She said she was worried about her drink having been spiked because she experienced a memory loss and severe nausea for 24 hours after the event. Ever since, many other women* have shared their stories, some of them also involving the keyboardist Flake.
Even though Lynn did not mention sexual violence, the described incidents are shocking and alarming. Other women* did speak about having experienced sexual violence. So far, there has been no legal evidence, yet we need to discuss what these women* have shared.
Sadly, we have seen many other examples in the past of this idol-fan relationship, including a certain ‘rockstar image’; one that has been attractive to us, and that idolizes heterosexual cis-men who have sex with their female fans. And this used to be ‘normal’ in our heads; there was a lack of a critical reflection of the power imbalance of this rockstar-fan relationship. Only it was never normal, it was never ok; we constructed it as our normality. It makes part of our patriarchal construct.
Why do so many people agree objectifying women* by using their power? Why do people think it is ok for influential celebrities to have one of their staff members recruit young women* for them, and to have sex during a concert? It worries me that many of the fans, and other people too, don’t find this alarming.
One explanation is, of course, the fact that their idols are under attack, which makes them feel attacked themselves. Their idols make up a strong part of their identity.
I acknowledge that learning about such news which include your idols — the people you have supported and perhaps feel deeply connected to — is probably difficult. After all, it is about accepting they are not the people who you thought they were, and this is a hard process. There is a reflection that needs to take place, and it could take a while. But while processing it, it might be better to observe what is happening, to look for information, instead of moving straight to victim blaming.
Another reason is that patriarchal mindsets are still deeply embedded in our thinking, our behavior, in our every-day-life.
And this is not just my opinion as a feminist who has worked in a women’s shelter, but it’s actual science. Sociology, Gender Studies, Human Rights to be precise. There are enough studies, articles, books, and conferences about patriarchal structures, gender-based violence, its intersection to colonialism, racism, capitalism, ableism, etc. I find it quite interesting that many people simply don’t ‘believe’ in such topics of social sciences and think they are simply opinions. Is the Pythagorean theorem also an opinion? Can you deny it? Does it make sense? Yet when it comes to sociological concepts and explanations, people choose not to believe them. You cannot ignore or deny sexism, gender-based violence and their embedding in patriarchy, it has been scientifically proven.
It starts with sexist jokes which too often result in annoyed looks when women* don’t laugh about them, to the way we tell boys* and girls* which emotions are ok to show, or what color to like, to the gender-pay-gap, economic dependence, gender-based violence, too often resulting in feminicides, the most horrific form of misogyny, power and control.
It is not only a question of whether the incidents at the concerts were illegal by law. Whether judicial procedures need to be taken is another question and should be dealt with by prosecutors. But we do need to understand that women* have shared their stories about situations in which they felt uncomfortable, confronted with a more powerful person, and possibly also sexualized violence. We need to have a discussion about the fact that many people (probably mostly fans) are blaming the victims, shifting the focus away from the people that did harm. When a person comes forward to talk about an experience that made them deeply uncomfortable and harmed them, and that was potentially violent, we need to listen and take them seriously. Period. Let alone when more and more persons come forward with very similar stories and allegations.
Is it not clear to everyone yet that we live in a patriarchal society that gives cis-men all the freedom they want — and that this is highly dangerous? We have lived under these circumstances for centuries. Yet people refuse to reflect on their patriarchal beliefs (not only cis-hetero men, also women* reproduce patriarchal structures) and end up making excuses for highly inappropriate, sexist, machista behavior.
When an internationally-known band like Rammstein (all cis-hetero men) has put a recruiting system in place to have young women* right in front of their stage, to come to aftershow parties and potentially have sex with them, then this is highly concerning, alarming and wrong, even if the women* also wanted to have sex. We have heard from many of them who were not ok with that, and who experienced it as sexual assault.
But even if some of them wanted to be there, wanted to be ‘chosen’ by their idols, to be close to them, and maybe even become intimate with them — it is still an organized recruiting system. A system that puts women* onto a plate, so to say, to be ‘served’ to much older and much more powerful men — who know that those young women* might be love-blinded. Many of them have probably dreamt about this for a long time, and they cannot believe that they finally get the chance to be close to their idols. You cannot blame the girls* and women* for this wanted attention. But you can (and have to) blame the much older men who are behind this organized recruiting system.
There are many more famous artists who have, and still are, reproducing sexist and violent behavior, who abuse their power for their own privileges — and who are not called out for that. The discussion needs to move away from “Do we believe the victims? Are they really trustworthy?” towards “Why do those kinds of systems exist and how can we prevent and learn from them? Who do we idolize? How can we shape a society that doesn’t punish women* when they talk about experienced violence? How can we prevent these patriarchal structures from being reproduced?” And for that, the first step is to listen to the survivors, especially if there are several ones reporting similar things.
What we are witnessing now goes far beyond the band Rammstein; we are witnessing that many people who do not identify as cis-hetero men are tired of this mess, and are no longer willing to remain silent, to accept that sexist behavior, that sexualized violence of which they have suffered from for so many years.
It has never been ok, but only now we have started to believe the survivors instead of questioning them; we’re still in that process, but it has reached the mainstream, at least. And now we all need to deal and reflect about it. I hope at least some people have changed their minds and have stopped blaming the victims. There is a choice we all have; do we decide to listen and believe the victims or do we continue to rant about how they may have wanted it, how they could have provoked it, how they were dressed very inappropriately, how they just want to be famous (whatever “fame” they think it will bring them; who wants the public to know details about sexualized violence? I certainly would not).
I am sad that the members of the band have not publicly reflected on this. Now is their chance to make statements, critically analyze their behavior and apologize to the persons they harmed. And to apologize for maintaining a sexist system, for abusing their power and taking advantage of young women*.
On August 29th, Berlin prosecutors dropped the investigation against Till Lindemann regarding sexual assault charges due to the lack of evidence.
References:
https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/ndr/investigativ-rammstein-till-lindemann-flake-vorwuerfe-100.html (last accessed: September 22, 2023)
Beaumont-Thomas , Ben: Sexual assault investigation into Rammstein frontman dropped , The Guardian, 29/08/2023.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/29/sexual-assault-investigation-into-rammstein-frontman-dropped-till-lindemann (last accessed: September 22, 2023)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/15/rammstein-sexual-assault-allegations-till-lindemann-berlin-investigated (last accessed: August 11, 2023)
Philip: Singer of German band Rammstein accused of recruiting fans for sex , The Guardian, 06/07/2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/06/german-band-rammstein-accused (last accessed: August 11, 2023)
