"Little independent research on the impact of any equality group caused by lap dancing clubs" according to Bristol City Council

[JessinAvalon]

I am currently ploughing my way through the 119 page document that Bristol City Council have sent out in advance of the licensing committee meeting on Friday at which they'll be signing off the sex entertainment venue policy.

In it, they say:

"There is little independent research available on the types of activities that
would be regulated under this policy with regard to the potential for a
significant impact on any equality group."

This is despite consultation responses from the local NHS, which quoted the Home Office Sexualisation of Young People Review, Bristol University's Gender Violence Research Centre, Rape Crisis and a detailed response from Bristol Fawcett which referenced several academic papers.

Does 'independent research' only apply if you are a man???

I am speechless!

'little' is a nice flexible word too.
I mean, you've only mentioned four things there. Maybe they'll only take it seriously when you have 4000

Ha ha! Yes, and if all 4000 are men, I think!

maybe if it is by a woman it's not independent by definition because you clearly have a stake in the results.

what are you going to do?

Can you gather together all the independant research you have stated here, with summaries of their findings, then write to them and insist that the BCC document be corrected?
Then take printouts of the research findings to pass around at the meeting, highlighting particularly important points.. Thats probably what I would do but I dont really know how these things work.

Can other people attend the meeting?

What sort of policy are they planning to sign off?

Also, best wishes and good luck!

It's depressing, Jess. You can feel the same rationale as that Hooter's decision gently coalescing in their minds. In that case it was the classic line "it is offering something different". Now we have a drift towards saying that we cannot detect any particular impact on any equality group. It is not an "equality group" upon which impact rests, it is the subject matters of concern raised by such groups upon which there will be impact. Their use of language is so sloppy. Their grasp of the issues is next to non-existent.

@SSAM - I think that's their conclusion. However, surely being a man means that you could be biased too as a potential customer and as an owner (just read one consultation response from a male owner - a famous one). Tosser.

LifeinLimbo - there's little we can do other than turn up to the meeting and listen. The policy is being signed off on Friday. It's a public meeting so others can attend.

The policy is a sex entertainment venue licensing policy for Bristol City Council.

I agree MitziRosie. And apparently, although the activity is mainly for men and supplied by women, numbers aren't important...

Sigh.

I'm on page 83 now.

I am amusing myself with My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding in the background. One girl has just said that one of her rules in her husband is that he doesn't beat her. Good to have high aspirations!

Jess That is both depressing and highly annoying, and has clearly been written by someone who has no understanding of their own statement or of what 'independent research' might be. Gah.

If you are going to the meeting and speaking up anyway, good for you and good luck. I'm not local so unable to unfortunately.

Oh Jess, I feel your pain. Our council has decided to have no upper limit on the number of SEVs. Totally agree that women have no vested interest in stopping these places opening for selfish reasons. Unless it's selfish to want to walk home unmolested (actually this presumable does count as selfishness in some people's minds). Whereas men, as the group being catered to, should have all their comments on the matter taken with a pinch of salt, surely?

How annoying Jess.

I know it is too late for this particular occasion, but perhaps if there is another opportunity in the future, someone could gather some info on the links between lap-dancing, prostitution and trafficking.

Very often when you read research about prostitution a large number of punters cite lap-dancing clubs as places where they pay for sex. Prostituted women also cite lap-dancing clubs as places where they start/met their pimp.

Where there is lap-dancing there is prostitution and where there is prostitution there is trafficking. (Personally I class lap dancing as prostitution but I doubt the City Council do.)

Thanks Beachcomber. The thing is we had all of that and sent it off to the licensing sub-committee. However, it seems that everything we sent in, which I will list below, doesn?t count as ?independent research? ? or, if it does, is classed as ?little?!

The equalities impact assessment only quotes from a Leeds study (a work in progress) which has the methodology of interviewing 300 lap dancers and those involved in operating the industry. Apparently a study based on those gain financial reward from the industry is the only one deemed to be worth including in the EIA and, by extension, the policy. One dimensional and/or biased? Apparently not!

Thanks for the support, EightiesChick.
And Elephants - I'm not convinced that this legislation will make any difference unless a council is prepared to listen to residents on this issue - as Hackney will hopefully. Others don't seem so inclined.

Here is a list of some of the references that were included in other consultation responses that apparently count for nothing:

Page 82 ? references quoted in Bristol Rape Crisis? response:
Bindel, J. (2004) Profitable Exploits: Lap Dancing in the UK. London: Child
and Woman Abuse Studies Unit.
Eden, I. (2007) Inappropriate Behaviour: Adult venues and licensing in London. London: The Lilith Project.
Holsopple, K. (1999) Stripclubs according to Strippers: Exposing Workplace Sexual Violence. In Roche Hughes, C & D. (Eds) Making the Harm Visible:
Global Sexual Exploitation of Women and Girls, Speaking Out and Providing
Services, Kingston: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. Pp. 252-276
Mcleod, J. Farley, M. Anderson, L. & Golding, J. (2008) Challenging men?s
demand for prostitution in Scotland. Glasgow: Women?s Support Project.
Object (2009) Joining up the dots: why urgent action is needed to tackle the
sexualisation of women and girls in the media and popular culture.
Papadopoulos, L. (2010) Sexualisation of young people ? Review. London:
Home Office.
Raphael, J. & Shapiro, D (2004) Violence in Indoor and Outdoor Prostitution
Venues. Violence Against Women. 10:126-139.

Page 89 From the Psychology Today report submitted in a resident?s statement:

Cikara, M., Eberhardt, J.L. & Fiske, S.T. (in press). From agents to objects: Sexist
attitudes and neural responses to sexualized targets. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Harris, L.T. & Fiske, S.T. (2006). Dehumanizing the lowest of the low: Neuroimaging
responses to extreme outgroups. Psychological Science, 17, 847-853.
Haslam (2006). Dehumanization: An integrative review. Personality and Social
Psychology Review, 10, 252-264.
Heflick, N.A. & Goldenberg, J.L. (2009). Objectifying Sarah Palin: Evidence that
objectification of women causes women to be perceived as less competent and less
fully human. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45, 598-601.
Heflick, N.A., Goldenberg, J.L., Cooper, D.P. & Puvia, E. (under review). From women
to things: Target gender, appearance focus and perceptions of warmth, morality and
competence.
Loughnan, S., Haslam, N., Murmane, T.,Vaes, J., Reynolds, C., & Suitner, C. (2010).
Objectification leads to depersonalization: The denial of mind and moral concern to
objectified others. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 709-717.
Vaes, J., Paladino, M.P. & Puvia, E. (under review). Are sexualized women fully
human?

Page 92 ? From the response submitted by the Centre for Gender & Violence Research:
The research evidence shows that SEVs lead to increased reports of rape and sexual assault against women in particular (Eden, 2007; Raphael & Shapiro, 2004), to sexual harassment of women in venues and outside to other members of the public (Raphael & Shapiro, 2004; Bindel, 2004, Eden, 2007), to increased possibilities for prostitution and coercion of women into prostitution (Mcleod, Farley, Anderson & Golding, 2008; Bindel, 2004), to risks to children through sexualisation and use of underage dancers (Papadopoulos, 2010; Bindel, 2004), and to drug taking (Eden, 2007).

Referenced in Bristol Fawcett?s first response to the draft policy:
Child and Woman Abuse Study Unit at London Metropolitan University -
commissioned by Glasgow City Council to review lap dancing and table dancing clubs. (www.glasgow.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/AF8653FD-9FC4-4DE6-8238-
CE629C7D6C3E/0/LapdancingReport.pdf)
The study concludes concludes that there is evidence that activities within lap dancing clubs are in direct contradiction with equality between men and women, and normalise menʼs sexual objectification of women.

i ? Around half of women in England and Wales experience domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking in their lifetime (British Crime Survey 2008). It is estimated that there were 3,490 rapes in Bristol in 2006/7 (Safer Bristol Rape and Sexual Assault Strategy 2008-11). 22% of MPs are women. Women working full-time earn on average 16% less per hour than men working full-time and the gender pay gap in the South West is 21.5% (ONS 2009 Annual Survey).
? Daily sexualised messages create conducive contexts for violence, reinforce gender inequalities and undermine information campaigns about healthy sexual relationships (Home Office VAWG Consultation, 2009). Mainstream media are pushing a set of norms that undermine women's control over their own sexuality whilst purporting to represent a liberalisation of sex and women's sexual expression. Such representations serve to value females primarily for their ʻsex appealʼ rather than creative or intellectual abilities, and in doing so reinforce gender inequality. There is a clear link between the consumption of sexualised images and the acceptance of aggressive attitudes and behaviours as the norm (Home Office, 2010)
? "Exposure to the sexualised female ideal is linked with lower self-esteem, negative moods and depression in young women and girls. Adolescent girls exposed to adverts featuring idealised women have significantly higher State Depression scores; and frequent exposure to films, TV and music videos featuring idealised images is linked to lower self-esteem (particularly among Black and Latino young people), stress, guilt, shame and insecurity.? (Home Office, 2010)
? A considerable proportion of young womenʼs aspirations have been reduced to being glamour models and lap dancers (EVAW 2008); Women in Journalism (2007); Girls' Schools Association (2010).

Gosh yes you have covered masses there with the stuff you sent.

Sorry, didn't mean to suggest that you hadn't been thorough. I misunderstood - I thought you had been coming at it from a more general approach.

How can they say that is not independent? You must be furious.

I know the sort of activism you do must be a thankless and frustrating task - good on you Jess for doing what you do.

Hi Beachcomber-no apology needed! We are lucky in Bristol in that we have a wealth of academic experience, knowledge and qualifications (I can't include myself in that list) and consultation responses strove to include as much evidence as possible. It is frustrating that it is all dismissed.

Thank you for your thanks, by the way. It is appreciated. You're right, it does feel like a thankless task sometimes but it has to be done. A few of us will be at the licensing committee meeting on Friday afternoon and we are hoping to raise some of our concerns then. We'll see what comes of it.

If any other Bristol feminists want to see the documentation, my comments, put in a statement and/or come to the meeting please do so! All support welcomes.

Think you might be interested in this.

www.scribd.com/doc/47185652/Green-Paper-Camden-Lilith-rape-stats

This totally debunks the Lilith nonsense that rapes in Camden rose as a result of lap dancing clubs.

What have other cities done or is Bristol the first?

Anyone know what grounds other lap dancing clubs get turned down on?

How have those grounds not been applied to the Bristol one? Could they be applied, if there's enough time?

Hi Posie
Bristol isn't the first. Other cities have implemented an SEV policy and well before Bristol have. Existing clubs now have 12 months to apply for a licence.

@Katie - other cities have had clubs turned down because local residents objected. One in Bristol had a planning application turned down in December 2008 because there were lots of objections.

In theory, this new legislation is supposed to make it easier for communities to object. But that's assuming that the democratic process works properly. Here in Bristol we have our doubts - the Hooters case was a good example. The site for Hooters was in a cumulative impact zone and the default position is to not grant any more alcohol licences. However, despite this and a very strong police objection to the application, the licence was granted (which, as you can imagine, is almost unheard of).

So, although we are pleased that the admittedly loophole ridden policy has been adopted (officially from the 31st Jan), we are concerned that the decisions will still favour the clubs.

At the licensing committee meeting on Friday, at which the policy was being signed off, it was clear that a number of councillors did not have a clue about the lap dancing industry.

There was a lot of discussion about the process rather than the content and we spent about 10 minutes at one point discussing how many lampposts should have a notice regarding the application and the height of the aforementioned notices.

We also had submitted a question asking why the one-dimensional Leeds study was the only "independent research" seen as worthy to inform the equalities impact assessment despite the reams of information that had been submitted above and got a very vague and unsatisfactory answer (surprise, surprise).

Thanks for the link Sinless. But, as you can guess, I'm not interested. For one thing, I have lost count of the number of times that misogynists have delighted in putting forward that particular piece of information so you're not very original, I'm afraid.

I notice that you don't include links to information which disproves all of the research papers quoted in my post above. If you can, perhaps you'd be so kind as to correct the Bristol University Centre for Gender Violence Research, Rape Crisis and the NHS as they accept that there is a link between violence against women and the sex industry.

But clearly you know better!

What is their understanding of the lap dancing industry?

If they're mis-informed or avoiding the issue, then can further discussion be undertaken?

The processes are getting time for being overseen, can the wider implications of having the business approved and established be afforded the same?

How can the councillors not have a clue???

If they don't have a clue, surely they're not qualified to sit on this committee?

(multitude of questions there!)

Thanks Jess: anyone who doesn't agree with your view is a misogynist.
Thanks for that, that renders any discussion pointless.

So you do accept that Lilith and ALL those who quoted their research have been talking nonsense?

I haven't seen all the papers you quote but since the Lilith rubbish has been quoted ad nauseum I thought I'd start by correcting that.

I expect most of the other "research" is about as reliable as Lilith.

"And Elephants - I'm not convinced that this legislation will make any difference unless a council is prepared to listen to residents on this issue - as Hackney will hopefully."

67% of respondents opposed the nil policy, so yes I do hope Hackney listens.

Not necessarily. If these papers have been commissioned by the ONS, Home Office and the NHS then they will have been through the peer review process. Could the same be said for the Lillith paper?

I imagine they just recycle the same nonsense.

Nonse is stated. It is the repeated. It is then quoted in an official report e.g. Glasgow Council once commissioned a report from Bindel to try to support its own anti-lap dance policy.

Don't you remember the 45 minute claim about Iraq? Often research is commissioned to produce the result that is wanted.

Hits ignore button

@Katiekitty - we tried to inform the councillors with as much information as we could get our hands on and other respondents to the consultation did the same.

The NHS, Rape Crisis, and the Centre for Gender Violence Research sent in responses. We also held a panel discussion at the university, hosted by the Centre for Gender Violence Research and invited councillors and council officers to attend, particularly the chair of the committee.

We set up 5 dates and the chair couldn't make any of them. When we went ahead and held the discussion anyone, only one of the councillors who sits on the licensing committee attended.

We have asked that they watch the Dispatches documentary that was broadcast in October 2008 but our offer of a copy of the DVD hasn't been taken up by any of them. We have spoken several times at council meetings on the issue too.

We're not sure what else we can do. I think we just have to wait until the applications come in so that we oppose the applications then.