Cornwall's Boardmasters unveils Safer Spaces tent to 'confront & prevent abuse and harassment'
The initiative has been launched as figures reveal only 1% of women feel able to report their experiences to festival staff
Last updated 12th Aug 2021
A 'Safer Spaces' initiative is being launched at Cornwall's Boardmasters, to create a culture that confronts and prevents sexual violence, abuse and harassment.
Safer Cornwall and festival organisers, Vision Nine, have created a Safer Spaces tent in the main campsite village.
Festival-goers can visit the area next to the welfare tent to find help and support and make use of the glam space and chill area.
The tent is a safe place where people can report incidents, talk about a previous experience or ask questions.
The team will also be on hand to talk about consent, promote sex positivity and sexual health.
The Safer Spaces Team is made up of over 70 safeguarding professionals, all volunteering to support this initiative.
They include domestic abuse, sexual violence, substance misuse, mental health, children and young people support workers, as well as nurses, doctors, midwives, solicitors and children’s social care professionals.
The team will also be introducing pro-social bystander interventions and encouraging the festival goers to engage in awareness raising and challenging bad behaviour, in a safe way, both in the Safer Spaces Tent and via the Safer Spaces Outreach Teams.
In 2019, YouGov reported that one in five festival-goers experienced sexual assault or harassment at a UK festival. This rises to one in three female festival-goers.
Yet there’s a great deal of silence around the issue: Only 1% of women and 19% of men feel able to report their experience to festival staff.
Anna MacGregor, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Co-ordinator and project lead at Safer Cornwall, said: “Safer Spaces is a real opportunity to challenge social, cultural and gender norms that perpetuate sexual violence, abuse and harassment and the feelings of shame and fear that prevent people from reporting and seeking support.
“Safer Cornwall is excited to be working with Vision Nine and to have such a hugely qualified and passionate team of volunteers dedicated to the Safer Spaces objectives.
“We want to make this a festival that everyone can enjoy safely, by encouraging festivalgoers to be active in challenging gender inequality and sexually harmful behaviour".
You can help promote the Safer Spaces initiative on social media using the hashtags #saferspaces #noexcuse and #dontbeabystander.