Safer nightlife in Utrecht

'We do not cross boundaries, even behind these doors.' These are the words on a poster hung by 17 nightlife venues in Utrecht. It is an initiative of the city ambassadors of Utrecht Thirty030 and the Night Consultation, which started on September 12. They want everyone to have a pleasant night out, without any type of harassment or abuse.

According to night coordinator Flo Hollander, as quoted by DUIC, the initial ideas came about a year ago. The article also states that clear standards appear to be lacking in the Utrecht nightlife. A survey conducted by Thirty030 and Nachtoverleg shows that 80 percent of respondents sometimes feel unsafe when going out, of whom 40 percent have felt unsafe more than once in the same night.

An Instagram post by Thirty030 states that sexual harassment, discrimination and other inappropriate behaviours have no place in the affiliated nightlife venues. ‘Together, we are working to create a nightlife scene in which visitors feel seen, heard and protected. Recent events underscore the importance of this campaign not only on the streets, but also behind closed doors.’

Safer city
The bar staff at De Beurs, a pub at Neude Square, say: ‘It's great that we can contribute to a safer city.’ Several students nod in agreement. They hadn't noticed the poster, but were pleasantly surprised when it was pointed out to them. They are glad that the city is addressing the issue.

Tivoli Vredenburg is also participating in the campaign. In this venue, they believe that it is obvious that everyone should feel safe in their building; posters should not be necessary. After all, music is something that connects people, so it should be open to everyone.

Tivoli was recently in the news because they have banned camera glasses. In an article by RTV Utrecht, Tivoli's director, Jeroen Bartelse, explains the decision, stating that the venue was concerned with people's safety, particularly that of women. The venue decided to ban such glasses altogether following a disagreement with a man who refused to remove them.

Before the campaign in defence of safer nightlife began, another campaign called Utrecht is #echtmannelijk (Utrecht is #trulymasculine, Ed.) was launched on September 9. Filmmaker and initiator Ilia ten Böhmer aims to create a safer culture for women in Utrecht by raising awareness among men. On his LinkedIn page, he writes: '#EchtMannelijk is about the image of masculinity. There is nothing wrong with being a man, but there is something wrong with the culture in which “real masculinity” is often seen as tough, sexually aggressive and dominant. It is time to turn that image around. A respectful man who actively protects the freedom of women (and men): That's what is really sexy!'