This is not OK.

[feuervogel]

This thread discusses several incidents of sexual assault at Dragon*Con this year. This is the first time I've heard of it happening, but that doesn't mean it's never happened before. It just means that this year was worse than years past. And the assaulters weren't all con members (some were LSU fans in town for the game), so the con's policy of yanking badges won't do any good.

We need to get the hotels, con staff, and fellow con attendees to prevent such issues from happening again. We need to get a stated, publicized anti-harassment policy on the con webpage and in the con materials (program guide). The location of security staff in all areas of the con needs to be better publicized/signed/whatever.

People need to get through their heads that a women wearing a skimpy outfit isn't asking to be hit on, let alone groped or worse.

People need to know that this sort of shit won't be tolerated. At all.

Comments

[alchemist]

One thing I appreciate about cons where the Dorsai Irregulars do security : they are always visible, clearly marked, and available. If you need to find security, they all have the same T-Shirts on, that clearly say "SECURITY" on them.

The fact that the Dorsai are also grown-ups, con veterans, and know the fandom(s) helps a lot.

That still doesn't excuse the behavior of the offenders, but I do notice that cons we've done where security is clearly marked and visible have fewer problems.

[feuervogel]

Putting security (the ones who *aren't* uniformed) in highly-visible clothing, like neon-green t-shirts that read SECURITY, would help a lot. Especially at night, when there's a lot of crowding.

By Sunday night, you had to show a con badge (or room key) to get into the Marriott at least. Whether this was related to the problems people were having with non-members, I have no idea.

This year was just ... off. Apparently, according to people who know about these things, LSU has a reputation (well-earned, I think) of having rude, obnoxious, drunk, asshole fans, the worst in the SEC, apparently. That probably played a part. (UNC fans were there, too, but I don't remember seeing much light blue, only yellow and purple.)

[kirin]

Jesus fuck. Not OK indeed.

On the one hand, I'm kind of gratified that it looks like most of the incidents were not with actual D*C attendees, but that just means we really need better security in hotel areas where non-attendees are allowed. But unfortunately it doesn't seem like *con* policy changes would have a huge impact, though I'd still certainly support them having a clear one. Certainly can't hurt.

[feuervogel]

The thread now has over 200 comments. One woman called the Marriott to report the bad behavior of non-con-attendees, and the manager was appalled.

Other suggestions include writing to the director of alumni relations (or even the deans) of LSU and to the director of the Chick-fil-A bowl, which is what the game is apparently called.

[anacoluthon.livejournal.com]

I hope the con gets on that and makes some official policies to address the issue.

[warpig1979.livejournal.com]

Yeah, so far as I can ascertain they're already planning to close off more bits of the con, put up more security, do more badge-checking.

One of the troubles with having the event in the series of hotels instead of a convention center, apparently folks coming to town for the Labor Day ballgame have figured out that they can get a cheap rate at the con hotels. Which leads to the combustible mixture of crowds. There were apparently a few different kinds of ugliness to deal with this year, aside from just what Conni linked to, fights and drunk stupidity and garden-variety overcrowding.

[feuervogel]

They'd started that by Sunday this year, whether in response to complaints is anyone's guess. I hope it continues.

I've got half a mind to say "fuck the Marriott" and stay in the Hilton next year. Even if a bunch of assholes set one of the elevator lift assemblies on fire by cramming too many people into it.

But congoers on LJ are being proactive and posting about how to make things better next year without relying on staff (because security volunteers are people like me or Ben, say, and not exactly intimidating). Like forming a Brute Squad, or having volunteer escorts, or just getting the word out that if someone looks like they're being harassed/assaulted/creeped on, it's OK to step in. It's OK to help them out, to give them an out -- but don't then turn into the creeper yourself.

Publicize the BackUp Project.

I want to believe that most congoers are good people, who would help each other out. But the SEP field descends, you know? We need to break people of that.

[eirias.livejournal.com]

Lord, that's awful. I'm sorry.

[amakarie.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about going with a girlfriend next year... now not so sure. DDD:

[feuervogel]

One good thing coming out of this is a lot of people starting their own safety things. There's a post earlier today about starting a volunteer security team, to do things like escort people between hotels, or publicize the back up project. To make congoers realize that it's ok to step in, it's ok to call for help. And that one bystander can get a picture of the offender while another calls the cops and others intervene.
Of course, intervening with drunk people who are bigger than you is dangerous. That's why we're also calling for increased security measures, especially if there are football fans in the hotel next year.

[kirin]

Keep in mind that there are like 40,000 people there, so while obviously no number of assaults is acceptable, it's not like it's suddenly a hugely dangerous place on average. Stay with friends when moving through less-public areas, or ask for a guy (like me, if I'm at all available) to walk with you if you need to, and it should be fine. And, like akiko says, hopefully they'll implement more visible security next year in reaction to the problems this year. DragonCon is lots of fun! Hopefully there'll be less assholes around next year too - I hear LSU fans are known to be problematic.