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

[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.