Content warning: This article contains accounts of sexual harassment and assault.

In March 2021, the abduction and killing of Sarah Everard in London sparked national conversations around women's safety. Wayne Couzens, a London Met officer, was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody. Fuel was added to the fire following a highly policed peaceful vigil resulting in women being restrained and arrested, behaviour that Sister's Uncut later referred to as "police brutality" and London Mayor Sadiq Kahn called "completely unacceptable." This tragedy was well publicised due to the nature of the disappearance—a white woman, modestly dressed, taking the main roads on her walk home—sparking a larger conversation on social media around the coverage of gendered violence and how analogue incidences remain under-reported due to biases like racism and transphobia. For instance, recent cases where the victims were women of colour, including Blessing Olusegun, Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, and Naomi Hersi, to name a few, shared similar traits to Everard's murder, but didn't receive a fraction of the media attention.

Happening at the same time as discussions around institutional racism, sexism and transphobia in British media and society were uncomfortable conversations between genders that attempted to confront and address issues of nighttime safety. For women and non-binary people, the journey to and from the club alone can be problematic, and the issue of sexual harassment is apparent before you've even got in the queue or behind the booth.

While the issue is way bigger than the dance floor, formative experiences in clubs, pubs and bars go on to shape how we view these spaces. According to a 2017 YouGov Poll, "Streets and pubs, clubs or bars are the places where harassment is most likely to occur, with over six in ten 18 to 24-year-old women who say they have been harassed stating that it happened to them in the street (64 percent) or in a pub, club or bar (61 percent)."

In response to Everard's death, the UK government announced it had plans to introduce plain-clothes police officers into clubs. Anti-sexual harassment advocates were confused and angered by this approach. Organizations like Good Night Out and safer spaces policies instituted by promoters and venues take a more preventative approach. They educate people working behind the bar, on the door, backstage and in attendance on dance floor etiquette, how to identify predatory behaviour and how to make changes that proactively keep people safe and support victims.

With nightclubs preparing to open on June 21st, as the final stop on the UK Government's Covid-19 roadmap, we speak to London-based women and non-binary people in the industry about changes they think could help reduce gender-based harassment and hate crimes on nights out.

Glade Marie (She/Her)

DJ, radio presenter and Saffron Collective member

I think having more female visibility on the lineups, behind the decks or on the sound desk will positively impact the safety of club spaces. The onus is not on women to enter and take over these spaces; the onus should be on men holding their peers and their workplaces accountable. This can be done by having a team full of different gender identities and races, increasing neurodiversity and making venues more accessible for people with physical disabilities. But I definitely think the onus should be on the people who own the spaces.

When I walk into a venue as a DJ, I look at the bar staff, I look at the management team, I look at who runs promotions and who runs bookings, and if I don't see people who reflect me, it's really obvious they don't have an inclusive workspace. I do think that it's a great thing to try and make your space as inclusive as possible, but what does your team look like? What does your board of directors look like? There are so many layers of intersectionality that need to be covered before you can start feeling like you're part of the positive change. That's not to say people who are actively trying to better their environments aren't part of positive change.

I would also like to see a sharing of resources, like funding opportunities and accessibility for people in those communities to create their own spaces and have access to larger venues.

I think everybody has to be patient and compassionate to the weight of these tasks, and I'm excited and hopeful about seeing those changes happen. It's just about strategy and allowing people the tools to contend with these huge institutions.

Basmati (They/Them)

DJ, event curator and promoter for Cousins & Pxssy Palace

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that many people, particularly women, almost expect to experience some form of harassment on a night out, either directly or as a witness. Historically, the UK club scene is a toxic boys club characterised by misogyny and a major lack of understanding around what consent means in all its different forms.

There's been a rise in successful "safer space" parties run by specific QTIBPOC collectives over the past few years, but UK clubs, for the most part, don't have the insight needed to implement real safer space policies. Specifically, policies that focus on the experiences of trans women, femmes, non-binary Black people and POC. As a non-binary trans POC, I can first hand say that I only ever feel fully safe in spaces I know are curated with the specific needs of the QTIBPOC community, not just in mind, but at the forefront of decision making.

The underground has always been at the forefront of breaking rules and creating new frameworks. This is no different. We have been grinding and supporting each other's collectives for years now in order to implement change and transform the status quo, but there's only so much we can do on our own without more funding and access. We've seen some bigger clubs and promoters try to replicate what we have done by hosting queer or QTIBPOC parties, but without the vital safer space policies needed for these marginalised groups. We need to see more folx from the underground QTIBPOC community employed by these big organisations for our knowledge, expertise and experience. Tokenism is a pointless and dangerous practice. The same financially privileged white lesbian promoters and cishet gay promoters seem to lead many conversations concerning the QTIBPOC communities, especially where the bigger institutions and clubs are concerned. And this is definitely a problem.

Bryony Beynon (She/Her)

Managing Director and Co-founder, Good Night Out Campaign

The first thing you have to do is zoom out and remember that sexual harassment and assault happens because people decide to harass and assault. Not everyone who goes into a club or venue will do this, in fact, the majority won't, which tells us it is a choice. What that means is that people can make different choices and that when they do, the abusive behaviours will stop.

When we think about the role of the venue and club, how do you encourage those more positive and less harmful choices to be made? Well, you prioritise creating an environment where perpetrators feel that actually, the stakes are too high to try and get away with it, whether that's the social or even legal consequences. So for staff teams and leadership, it's about becoming a space that is really clear from the outset that boundary-crossing behaviour won't be tolerated. Anyone who comes forward to ask for help will be believed. This can be achieved through a combination of strong policies, clear communication through tactics like pre-event info with ticketing, and on-site posters to remind people how to seek support and what the ethos of the space is.

For dance music communities, it's about what message do we send to someone who was targeted at a club or after a night out? What happens when they speak up about their story? Are they blamed for being at the club or with that group in the first place? If it's a DJ, does that person continue to get booked as if nothing happened? We have to start questioning the behaviours and choices of the person who targeted them, what they said and did to create that scenario, what boundaries they crossed, instead of constantly asking why survivors end up being assaulted. Sexual violence is of course a highly gendered problem, meaning women (whether cis or trans) as well as LGBTQIA+ and gender-nonconforming people are most likely to be targeted, and we talk a lot in our training about how gender inequality (whether that's in social scenes, lineups, talent pipelines or management structures in nightlife) is both a cause and a consequence of this violence. However, we don't change our messaging, as everyone needs to hear all of it as: a) people of all genders deserve support and safety if they have an unwanted experience and b) it's a whole community approach to build that empathy. When we provide a venue with posters, we make sure they go in all bathrooms, for example.

We like to talk about the three Ps of Policies, People and Posters, and when we accredit venues and promoters, we talk them through each of these areas to make sure they have what they need to make a difference. Policies mean nothing if they're not workable in practice, and People have to be trained up and feel invested in and understand what these procedures are. Everyone from the bar staff to security and office team should have some specialist training about responding to sexual violence. When we run our workshops, staff often say it's the first chance they have had to share in a safe environment how bad the harassment is from customers when ordering drinks, for example. Posters is about communication more broadly, from our posters to the badges and beer mats, making sure that there is a clear message sent out that whatever it is making someone uncomfortable, they can speak up and receive support.

Ellie Prohan (She/Her)

DJ, Radio and TV presenter

I don't think sexual harassment is exclusive to clubs nor the UK as an issue. In the last year, I feel like so many people have found their voices and speak up about what is right or what their lived experiences are. It's more important as things go back to normal we are able to have these conversations about things we can do better, and I think the safety of women is one of them.

From my lived experience as a gay woman, I've had multiple occasions where I have not felt safe, and that's down to clubs or nights not having their priorities in order. To have a successful night, we need to remember people first, and it's vital for everybody who contributes to making a night such as door and bar staff, security, tech engineers, booking agents and promoters to look at their current policies and ways to improve and put safety first. Pxssy Palace, Big Night Out and Ask Angela are great examples of ways to encourage this.

It would be amazing to see the dance community come together and make an aligned policy shared globally with all night czars of cities co-signing. We can no longer rely on "no" being enough to stop anybody being harassed, so it's time for action.

Heléna Star (She/Her)

DJ and Presenter

The fact that we still have to have these discussions makes it clear that sexual harassment is still an issue on UK dance floors. Adding undercover police will not make it safer, but educating and teaching staff on the warning signs and how to be proactive, including a zero-tolerance clause, will. Of course, this still doesn't stop the threat, and a wider discussion/change needs to be had around abuse. There is so much work to be done outside of the club too!

To make it better: hold your friends accountable, stand up for vulnerable people, and educate yourself.

Promoters: make sure you are checking on those artists getting home safely!

Braines (He/Him) and Sophia (She/Her)

Cofounders of HE.SHE.THEY

HE.SHE.THEY.'s mission is to diversify spaces that have been, in recent years, traditionally cis white male-dominated spaces. One of the things we've been focusing on in lockdown is working out how to improve and learn, including making women and non-binary people safer, as we, alongside the rest of the industry, could, quite frankly, all do better.

Some of the steps we've taken include training the team as mental health first aiders to better handle people experiencing distress. We'll be adopting best practice from DJ Rebekah's rider movement, including more clearly recognisable welfare helpers. Before, ours just had a badge on, so we're looking at some more options to make this clearer, such as clothing. We've always made our safety criteria clear to venues, asking them to adopt policies such as "Ask Angela." We also have briefings with venue staff advising on points such as pronoun use and awareness of people being allowed to freely use the toilet of their choosing. But problems and miscommunications can still occur, so we're trying to have consistent teams when we work, so everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet. We have a code of conduct for those attending parties on our website, but that's not enough, so we'll be making rules more visible with posters around the club.

Object Blue (She/Her)

DJ and producer

I feel like sexual harassment is still prevalent on the dancefloor. When my friends and I have a night out where we don't get grabbed, threatened or followed around, we talk about it what a good night it was on the way home. A lot of perpetrators will justify their actions as "I didn't grope her, I just put my arm around her waist", or "I just tried to dance with her", or "I just tried to get her to chat to me." If you're making someone uncomfortable, that's enough of a reason to stop and assess your behaviour.

The only way we can change things is through a loud, clear exclamation of: "No harassment will be tolerated," both on social media and physically on the walls of the venue. Reading that alone isn't going to change the moral compass of someone who's comfortable harassing others, but it does let vulnerable people know that if they witness or experience harassment, they will be taken seriously. Also, when harassers get kicked out, venues should take a copy of their ID and blacklist them! They need to know their behaviour will not be tolerated during a good night out.

Frankie Wells (She/Her)

Cofounder & Station Manager of foundation.fm

I love clubbing. It's an escape, it's where I connect with friends and music, where I go to have fun, and not every experience has been a negative one. I've had incredible times and met incredible people. However, I've been going to clubs in London since I was a teenager and have a range of experiences that have been unsafe for myself and others around me, but the reactions seem to be the same. I've been told it was our fault for drinking, wearing something "revealing" or that me being there in the first place was the issue. Other times we've just had to deal with it on our own because there haven't been resources for us.

While working in the nightlife space, I've been undermined, questioned or harassed by people attending the night and not had the right support from my team. The safety issues we are facing are not just for those attending the night, but also the people working it, from the bar, to the promoters and talent. We need to talk about how we can ensure safety for all in that space.

If you're looking to start a club night or run one already, talk to people from all backgrounds, ages and genders—ask them what they want to see in nightlife and what would make them feel safe. Use your newsletters and social media as a tool to connect with your audiences. Provide resources. Have a code of conduct. Train your staff. This all leads to accountability and what we need to see in clubs is people taking accountability for their actions when going into a space.

This issue isn't just for women, trans folk and non-binary people. It's an issue for everyone who wants to enjoy music, clubbing and rave culture. We all have to do the work. Be an ally: read the resources!

IMOGEN (She/Her)

DJ / Producer

There are already great movements happening and parties going on in London where women, trans and non-binary people can feel safe, like BDE, which is an amazing community I've seen grow so fast. However, more needs to happen from the top and from those around us who aren't as vulnerable. They can make the big changes and put an end to this awful norm of feeling unsafe when on the dance floor.

My experiences in UK clubbing haven't always been positive. My drink was spiked when I was 17 in London, leading me to blackout and wake up in the loos hours after the club shut on my own. I think going out underage made me more vulnerable. I wasn't allowed to be there legally, which made me think I could never report this type of behaviour. As a DJ, I've had fans think they can cross the line with small remarks and then completely bombard me on social media after the show with inappropriate messages.

I believe there is an issue with sexual harassment in UK clubs, but I believe the bigger issue is the harassment that comes with visiting the club. For example, having to decide what to wear on your journey to the club so no one will approach or follow you and the same with having to be extra cautious on your journey home, which you might not have to think about as a cis male. Also at afterparties, when everyone is super intoxicated, sexual assaults can happen, and you can end up blaming yourself—I know as this happened to me, and I spent years in denial about what occurred.