[ACML] Convention Anti-Harrassment Project

[Roger Morse - Gimme Anime]

While cons do need to think about their harassment policies, for both  
sexes, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to sign on with something  
like that. It seems skewed in one direction, whereas anime  
conventions, with a much larger percentage of female attendance, has  
a different set of problems, including a higher percentage of female- 
to-male harassment, usually in the form of "yaoi girls".

Cons can't, and shouldn't, try and solve all the problems inherent in  
people interacting. The best they should do is minimize real damage.  
Rather than playing "cleavage police" with attendee's clothing, there  
are some other steps that will encourage other outcomes. A decent  
number of security staff is one. People will be discouraged from  
acting out if they see a red-shirt nearby.

Possibly some age-related badges so it's easier to distinguish  
between adult-looking teenagers and young-looking adults. I think a  
few people will be stopped in their tracks when they realize they are  
hitting on a 16 year-old.

Encourage parents to show up, maybe give discounted "parental passes"  
if all they are doing is escorting their kids . Or if worse comes to  
worse, require parents to escort their children. I realized that  
would have a dampening effect on attendees good times, but a parent  
is the best legal way to reign in a kid's activities, because they  
can do things that a security person cannot. And many kids won't  
dress or act a certain way if their parents are around, or at least  
won't go to extremes. A little parental education will go a long way.  
You'd be surprised how many parents don't know what Yaoi or Hentai is.

I'm not sure how to do this, but the main idea is to make sure people  
know that the convention isn't completely safe, no matter how hard  
the con staff will try. Maybe it shouldn't be completely safe. The  
part I don't know how to do is convey that without driving people  
away. The effect should be "I'd better escort my kids around the con  
rather than just drop them off" or "I should stay with my friends  
rather than wandering off alone", not "No way in hell we're going to  
a place like that". Start enforcing a curfew or make more adult  
oriented things to do in the evening so parents will be more likely  
to hustle their kids up to their rooms or off to home.

I dunno. We could probably brainstorm about this for days, but each  
is going to come their own conclusion and what they are comfortable  
with at their con.

Sincerely,
Roger Morse
Gimme Anime
www.gimmeanime.com
Denver Area's Source for Japanese Animation, Manga, and Toys