Thirty per cent of young women aged 15 to 19 believe they should avoid public places after dark, according to a 2016 national study (A Right to the Night: Australian girls on their safety in public places (PDF 420 KB)), Plan International Australia and Our Watch, 2016).
The prevalence of sexual harassment in public places – be it verbal (such as ‘cat-calling’) or physical – can contribute to women feeling unsafe. Therefore, women may not feel able to move freely in public places, and may not want to participate in activities outside their homes.
By making events feel welcoming and inclusive for everyone, people feel safer, stay longer and enjoy themselves more.
While this resource mostly refers to women and girls, the principles of inclusion apply to people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, ages and cultural backgrounds. We should strive to make our events safe and inclusive for all people.
Design for participation
It takes careful planning and execution to make sure events are safe and inclusive for women.
Different criteria apply depending on the size, location and type of event – from a musical festival at a licensed venue, to a seminar at a conference centre, or a community fair in a public place.
Checklist
Here’s a checklist to help you plan your event. As the checklist covers criteria relevant to a diverse range of events, some items may not be applicable to your specific event.