subscribe: Posts | Comments

Portsmouth activists campaign for cap on lap-dancing clubs

0 comments

Sarah Cheverton
WVoN co-editor

Portsmouth White Ribbon Group member

A coalition of women’s rights activists, residents, politicians and organisations have combined forces to campaign for a nil cap on the number of Sex Entertainment Venues (SEVs) in Portsmouth, England.

The city already has three lap-dancing clubs in operation and another has permission to open in the city centre (where two are already located).

One of the clubs, Wiggle, was refused planning permission to open last year and is currently going through an appeals process to overturn the decision, but is open for business in the meantime.

Solent Feminist Network launched its campaign in response to a public consultation on Portsmouth’s City Council’s new draft policy on Sex Establishment Licences for SEVs in the city, which recommends adopting a nil cap.

This would make it impossible for any other SEVs to open anywhere in the city and would also allow councillors to refuse to renew the licences of existing clubs.

Charlie Dacke of the Solent Feminist Network said, “What happens inside the four walls of a lap dancing club would be considered sexual harassment and sex discrimination in any other workplace – so while it continues to take place on our high streets with licences supplied by our local authorities, how can we address the deeply ingrained inequalities that still exist in society? All women have the right to feel safe and participate in the City’s nightlife without fear.”

The campaign has been supported by many residents, as well as the Portsmouth White Ribbon Group, local feminist organization Aurora New Dawn and national campaign group, Object.

Shonagh Dillon, Chief Executive of Aurora New Dawn, which works with victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, said:

“We support the campaign for the nil cap because there is a direct link between making women a commodity – that is, making women’s bodies something to be bought and sold – and violence against women.”

National organisation Object – whose campaign ‘Stripping the Illusion’ directly led to the changes in the law on licensing SEVs – submitted their own response to Portsmouth City Council’s consultation.

In it they highlighted the local authority’s duties under international law, stating:

“The links between objectification, discrimination and violence against women are recognised at the international level by the legally binding United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which has repeatedly called on states – including the British Government – to take action against the objectification of women.”

An opposing campaign and petition has been launched by the clubs themselves, under the banner Save our Strip Clubs, including a poster campaign and social media presence. It focuses on the potential loss of jobs as a result of the nil cap, and has accused its opponents of attempting to ‘control’ women’s lives.

The Save Portsmouth’s Strip Clubs Facebook group (only visible to readers if you are logged in to Facebook) refers to feminist campaigners as ‘Feminazis’ and states:

“It is extremely hypocritical of this feminist group to claim they are for women’s’ rights whilst at the same time removing the most fundamental and important right of all from these other women [i.e. dancers], their right to choose.”

The campaign has led to heated debates on the local paper’s website following any article on the topic, such as here, here and here.

Local councillors in the city are also divided on the issue.

Cllr Lee Mason complained to Portsmouth’s local paper, The News, saying that: “The whole thing is totally unfair. It is people forcing their Victorian morality on others and trying to create a new kind of puritan society.”

However, other councillors in support of the nil cap echo the sentiments of national advocates such as Object in highlighting the links between the objectification of women and violence against women.

Cllr Terry Hall told The News:

“These clubs give a bad message to the young people of this city about how women can be treated. They send the wrong message to visitors about our city. I’m very concerned that these clubs, probably not deliberately, appear to foster a mindset that leads to domestic violence.”

The consultation has now closed, having received over 3000 responses. As a result of the overwhelming response, the local authority estimates that no further action will be taken towards a final decision on the nil cap until at least June.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *