Barcelona City Council is renewing the “We Won’t Keep Quiet” protocol with the city’s main private night-life and party venues for another two years, until December 2026, continuing the application of the agreement to prevent sexual harassment and assault in these spaces.
Representatives of the City Council’s feminism teams met with night-life venue managers to assess the application of the protocol in recent years, with the significant take-up of training courses noted as one of the highlights. Between 2023 and 2024, a total of 756 people took or are currently taking specific training courses.
The protocol was introduced six years ago, in 2018, and was only paused with the halt to night-life activities during the Covid pandemic. New establishments and festivals have adopted the protocol along the way, bringing the current total to 42.
The “We Won’t Keep Quiet” protocol provides venues, festivals and other spaces with training and communication tools to ensure staff at these establishments are aware of and trained in how to respond in cases of sexual harassment or assault.
All 42 establishments that were part of the protocol are signing the renewal. The agreement, which will remain in force until 2026, emphasises improvements in advice and training for those in charge of applying the protocol and staff working in these spaces. Conducted by Barcelona City Council, the training includes preventive actions and instructions on detection and support, with an explanation of what constitutes assault, how to assist victims, and what referrals may be needed according to the victim’s wishes and the level of assault. In this respect, more face-to-face in-depth training sessions have been provided since 2023 for staff at participating venues and festivals.
At the same time, there are continued efforts to improve coordination between participating spaces and the City Council, with a series of measures on the prevention of sexism, gender violence and LGBTI-phobia at these establishments. Follow-up visits at venues and festivals help provide support and guidance for staff on the proper application of the protocol, both regarding physical checks of premises and, particularly, regarding the approach to serious cases of sexual assault, sexual harassment or harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender expression.
Venues and festivals’ commitment to prevention
In addition to instructions and training, the venues and festivals adhering to this protocol have committed to a series of preventive actions, including specific access control measures such as avoiding discriminatory or sexist admission criteria, for example, different prices depending on gender or drink discounts for girls only. Another measure entails restricting access to people seen to be showing harassing or disrespectful attitudes or behaviour outside the venue.
Each venue will also have to carry out an assessment of areas that are poorly lit, hidden or increase users’ vulnerability for other reasons, and prioritise keeping an eye on these areas. Steps will also be taken to avoid activities that foster gender inequality, such as compulsory gender-based dress codes, or that show a lack of respect towards people on the grounds of gender or sexual diversity.