DJ Rebekah's guide to dealing with s*x pests (part 2)

Reports of sexual assault in London nightlife venues hit a six-year high in 2021. These figures are, of course, atrocious and indicative of a societal need to combat such behaviour.

In the second part of our ongoing series, globally renowned techno selector @djrebekah gives tips on what to do if you witness someone being harassed. Rebekah’s #ForTheMusic campaign raises awareness of sexual harassment and assault in the music industry.

Please share your thoughts and experiences, it’s essential that we all contribute to creating a new paradigm when it comes to harassment and how it’s dealt with.

BE AWARE OF BODY LANGUAGE
Most of us will be able to pick up on someone’s body language just by observing. Noticing any discomfort in a person’s demeanour, someone being touched inappropriately, a person pulling away or struggling - these are some of the signs that something untoward might be going on.

BE MINDFUL OF INTERVENING
Confronting a perpetrator poses a number of risks, the most obvious being a violent outcome. A useful way to step in, and perhaps come to the aid of a victim, is to go over and break the ice with a “Hello, how are you? Having a good night?”. Keep it friendly and see where it goes.

FURTHER INTERVENTION
Once you’ve made your presence felt, if you feel comfortable you can offer your assistance with questions like, “Shall I get security? Do you want to move away from this person?”.

CALL OUT THE PERPETRATOR
There may be occasions where you feel confident enough to step in on a situation yourself. Rebekah recalled how having a quiet but stern word diffused a situation: “I went up to them and whispered, You need to get your s**t together, this is not alright.’ It made them take notice of their behaviour.”

NOTIFY SECURITY OR CLUB STAFF
If you don’t feel confident in being able to diffuse a situation, alert security or club staff. If you’re a bit inebriated yourself, it might be best to involve people who are sober and therefore able to make a better assessment and implement the venue’s harassment protocols.