On Tuesday 18 August, the city of Marseille launched its beach harassment prevention system. Tested last year on the Prado, this summer it is being extended to four beaches in Marseille. Thanks to the free Safer Plage application, created by the Municipality in collaboration with various local associations, anyone can report sexist and sexual violence of which they are the victim or witness.
A team of specialized mediators and an awareness campaign
The application, originally distributed in the festive environment, allows you to sound the alarm and activate the intervention of a team of specialized mediators in the field.
15 people have been trained for the beaches of Marseille who will work in pairs. As reported by L Parisian, “the first person will aim to locate the victim and put them in a safe area if necessary, the second will try to talk to the person suspected of harassment”.
Added to this is an awareness campaign conducted by feminist associations around the beaches: “ Compared to street harassment, the beach is static: it’s easier for an assailant to annoy someone who can’t move. The girls have to deal with insistent looks, comments, but also having their picture taken “, reports Martine Ragon, of the Femmes Solidaires association, to our colleagues of the Parisian.
In fact, a June 2021 Yougov survey conducted for Bumble shows that nearly half of people aged 18 to 24 have experienced harassment while at the beach, and more than a third of women aged 25 to 34 report to have suffered similar events.
Will these measures be enough to protect holidaymakers on the beaches of Catalans, Pointe-Rouge, Bonneveine and Corbières? The Marseille City Council is also planning a poster campaign on buses and in the city’s bars, focusing on the dissuasive aspect of the device.
Last year, however, some complained that it’s once again up to women to be vigilant. When will there be substantial work for attackers to stop attacking?
Do you like our articles? You will love our newsletters! Sign up for free on this page.
Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
