In case amale guest refuses to adhere to the new rules, he will be blacklisted from the club
A private club in southern China has sparked a debate on social media for its unique strategy to protect women against harassment. According to the South China Morning Post, the club has asked all of its male guests to sign an agreement that they will not sexually harass female guests. The decision comes after some women complained that they had suffered sexual harassment at the club.
The club’s management said it had created a healthy underground music community and did not want to impose unnecessary restrictions on guests but made the decision to ensure women felt safe while enjoying themselves.
”In the future, all males who want to enter Dark Palace should sign the letter of agreement regarding anti-sexual harassment,” the club announced.
The letter of agreement also suggests that male and female strangers should avoid physical contact and verbal harassment. In case a male guest refuses to adhere to the new rules, he will be blacklisted from the club and the police might be called.
”If you’re the kind of people who love music, equality, and fraternity, you will find it cool to sign this,” the letter of the agreement said. The club also said men who feel uncomfortable about signing the agreement are not welcome.
The incident has sparked a wave of discussion on social media and received mixed responses. While some called the move ”responsible” and ”good”, others called it ”useless.” Some also demanded a similar rule for women.
”It’s useless. Just because they sign a letter of agreement doesn’t mean they won’t violate the rule, right?” one user wrote. ”The anti-harassment agreement should be applied to female guests too,” another said.
As per SCMP, China has no specific law or regulation about sexual harassment. However, the Women’s Protection Law clearly defines what constitutes sexual harassment and encourages women to report incidents to the police.
