crime
Festivals plan protection concepts against sexual assaults
At the open-air festival, special teams were on the site for the first time, among other things, to give food for thought about sexism, as it was said. photo
© Daniel Karmann/dpa
Whether code words, trained staff or contact points – music festivals are increasingly introducing measures to help women who have been sexually assaulted. Experts see an effect.
Again and again, women report sexual assaults at music festivals. Many organizers have therefore introduced protection concepts to help those affected and to promote respectful interaction with one another.
“In the festival area, we’re noticing that there’s a movement happening and that many are jumping up,” says communication psychologist Daniel Brunsch, who works with his team at festivals and advises them.
Code words, trained staff, contact points and retreats should help those affected to get help quickly. “In all situations in which people feel uncomfortable – be it health problems, being overwhelmed or other people who come too close to a person,” says Katja Wittenstein from the festival organizer FKP Scorpio.
Festival goers report incidents where there is a point of contact
Experts like Brunsch have found that protection concepts work at festivals. “We’re finding that people dare to report assaults because there’s a point of contact.” But prevention is also an important component.
At “Rock im Park” in Nuremberg this year, for the first time, special teams were on the move to give the revelers food for thought about sexism, homophobia and transphobia, according to the organizer.