The Victorian government has made it’s latest move towards becoming Australia’s live music utopia, announcing their full support for a taskforce built with a singular purpose – to battle the ongoing problem of sexual assault at live music venues.
The Hon. Martin Foley, Minister for Creative Arts and Minister for Equality, made the announcement last night on Hack and unveiled a few details about what exactly this project would entail.
The Victorian government has pledged it’s full support towards addressing the growing problem of sexual assault in live music venues.
The taskforce will not be a new one, but rather one convened by LISTEN and SLAM member Helen Marcou and Dr. Bianca Fileborn in mid 2015. After campaigning for additional resources to address this issue via a concise set of recommendations, Minister Foley has approved the proposal, lending the government’s full support.
Speaking via a press release, LISTEN announced the pilot program will be rolled out across a selection of live music venues in Victoria, with exact venues to be confirmed. The key suggestions from the taskforce include the implementation of:
- A venue policy template on identifying and responding to incidents of sexual harassment and assault in live music venues.
- A venue training package for the pilot program.
- Advertising and awareness-raising materials for patrons and venue staff.
- Evaluation of all materials and training.
Minister Foley also established his intent to eventually involve Australia’s Responsible Service of Alcohol Programs. The taskforce will convene in a few weeks to set some concrete plans in motion.
