Sydney Club Bans Staring At Strangers Without Consent

Sydney’s long-established venue Club 77 announced that it would ban “unwanted staring” amid a crackdown against harassment. As part of their updated safety policy, the new set of rules will see patrons getting kicked out of the venue for “staring from afar” without verbal consent. 

Club 77 expressed its commitment to create a safe space and a “strong culture of consent” in a social media post at the beginning of the month. The post hinted at a recent rise in the number of harassments occurring at the Sydney club.

“​If we receive reports of any behavior that has made someone feel uncomfortable, the reported individual will be removed from the venue and the police will be called.”

Besides banning staring at a stranger across the dancefloor, the updated policy imposes respect for the DJ’s personal space. Sydney’s Club 77 seems to be very straightforward about its zero-tolerance policy for any type of harassment, saying that “if the attention you are giving someone is unwanted, that is considered harassment.”

Although Sydney Club 77 emphasizes the importance of socializing with strangers, it stresses that prior verbal consent is mandatory. 

“As a nightclub, we encourage you to interact with strangers, however any engagement MUST begin with verbal consent.”

With its new harassment policy, the club aims to “educate club-goers” and “help them understand what is unacceptable behavior inside the venue and on the dance floor.”

Club 77’s social media post sparked a heated debate as positive feedback flooded the comments section. Some comments read, “Back this so much! thank u for keeping safety of patron a priority” and “Amazing!!! Positive party culture all the way.”

But not everyone is a fan. “The stupidity of these rules will guarantee that the only patrons to attend this club will be the snowflake generation. Good luck with that,” one follower said. “I’ve ran nightclubs for years, this is a senseless approach,” another wrote. 

According to Club 77’s statement, a Safety Officer will be present at the Sydney venue to handle complaints and concerns. If revelers feel harassed by a stranger or receive unwanted attention, the club advises them to “seek them out or tell our staff immediately.”