With its severe new policy prohibiting “staring” at a stranger from across the dancefloor or bar without prior “verbal approval,” a renowned nightclub has split partygoers.
Club 77, a long-standing establishment in the centre of Sydney’s party district, has updated its safety and harassment policy to create a “safe place” that supports a strong culture of consent in the midst of a crackdown on harassment.
The venue emphasises that mingling with strangers is welcomed, but warns interactions must now begin with verbal permission; else, they would be deemed harassment and will end in eviction from the club.
The same regulations apply when people approach strangers from a distance and disregard DJs’ right to personal space.
The site will be patrolled by safety officials wearing pink fluorescent vests to address complaints and concerns from anybody feeling “uncomfortable” or attracting unwelcome attention.
According to the guidelines, “the reported person will be removed from the venue and the police will be notified” if we receive allegations of any behaviour that has caused someone to feel uneasy.
When someone reports being harassed or feeling threatened, we follow the principle of “always believing the complaint.”
“We do this to guarantee that everyone feels secure and to ensure that our customers feel comfortable contacting staff if anything has made them uncomfortable or feel unsafe,” the statement reads.
Club 77, formerly a favourite hangout for Sydney’s goth community, now draws fans of dance music.
After trade hours were extended till 4am seven days a week, the venue, which just celebrated its 25th birthday, is “busier than ever.”
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In regards to club culture, consent, and harassment, unfortunately, this has also attracted certain individuals who do not share our beliefs and ethics, according to a post made by Club 77.
Although we are grateful that harassment instances have been very infrequent, we believe that even one incidence is too many.
We also have a responsibility to educate new club patrons on appropriate conduct both on the dance floor and within the club, as well as to assist them understand what is and is not acceptable.
The club has received a lot of appreciation for their firm position.
One partygoer said, “Thank you for taking after your peoples.”
Another person said, “Wow, I love the concept of a safety officer!
However, not everyone agrees.
Such extremes! Now everyone should stare at the floor! What is happening to the world? Pathetic really,” said one lady.
Another argued that this wasn’t excessive; rather, it was appropriate. It’s commendable that 77 called out that kind of conduct and established a safe environment for everyone.
Experts in dating and relationships disagree on the guidelines as well.
According to professional psychologist Melissa Ferrari, “If you can’t look across the room at someone to let them know you’re interested, it means you have to walk up to them physically, violate their space, and it is a more type of forward approach.”
“It is always a more charming narrative, when it is a more organic in person story of glancing across the bar, it is a lot sweeter story than meeting someone online,” the author says.
Samantha Jayne, a dating specialist, asserts that Generation Z members are “hyper aware of concerns around harassment.”
People are now less trusting of others and more apprehensive as a result of the epidemic, she said.
Because there have been so many reports of stalking, it’s possible that the club is just acting to safeguard its customers.