Burning Man has a problem with sexual assault

Burning Man, the annual music and art festival, is known for its totems of community and self-reliance, plus high admission costs and the wealthy tech giants it attracts. It runs for a week in Black Rock City, Nevada. Many "Burners," or attendees, see the event as an opportunity for self exploration, often fueled by psychedelic drugs.

It's billed as an escape from the “default world," but there is a dark side. Burning Man has a history of mismanaging sexual assault allegations. Four days before the festival was scheduled to kick off, a man was arrested for sexual assault and false imprisonment at the site.

Nicole Karlis, a news writer at Salon, has led two investigations into the culture at Burning Man, and how it fosters this kind of behavior.

She says some women told her they were sexually assaulted at Burning Man, then were ignored or dismissed by festival officials.

Since Karlis' investigation, the organization created a “Survivor Advocacy Center” that will be open throughout the festival's run. There, advocates will help survivors speak with law enforcement. However, they won’t offer rape kits.