Aussie nightclub bans staring without 'verbal consent' in new anti-harassment policy

Sydney [Australia], August 27 (ANI): A nightclub in Australia recently issued a new safety policy that prohibits an individual to stare at another guest without their consent.
Taking to Instagram, Club 77 Sydney shared a long note regarding their new anti-harassment policy to ensure a safe environment for all the guests.
"Thanks to the support of our community and amazing patrons, Club 77 has been busier than ever. Unfortunately, this has also attracted some people who do not share our values and ethics when it comes to club culture, consent and harassment. In response to this, we've updated our safety and harassment policy (see below) and introduced new measures to make sure this venue continues to remain a SAFE SPACE," it said.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Club 77 (@club77sydney)

Talking about their new safety policy, the club wrote, "At Club 77 we are continuously striving to create a safer and truly open space for our patrons, artists and employees. We operate a zero-tolerance policy on harassment of any kind. Creating a safe space goes beyond implementing practices to deal with incidents after they have happened. We also have an obligation to educate new club-goers and help them understand what is considered unacceptable behaviour inside the venue and on the dance floor.
"As a nightclub, we encourage you to interact with strangers, however, any engagement MUST begin with verbal consent. This also applies if you are, for example, staring at someone from afar. If the attention you are giving someone is unwanted, that is considered harassment."
To ensure all the new guidelines are being followed in a proper manner and the guests feel safe, the club said, "Each night, one of our security guards inside the club will be designated a 'Safety Officer' and recognisable by a pink hi-vis vest. They have been trained to handle complaints and concerns. If you're being harassed by another person or receiving unwanted attention, please seek them out or tell our staff immediately. If we receive reports of any behaviour that has made someone feel uncomfortable, the reported individual will be removed from the venue and the police will be called. We do this to make everyone feel safe and to ensure our patrons are comfortable approaching staff if anything has made them uncomfortable or feel unsafe."
The club at the end also asked for some feedback from the guests to improve the security measures. (ANI)