Safety at the Emsfestival New campaign for women
Next weekend (July 28-31, 2022), the traditional Emsfestival, known far beyond Rheine, will start. For four days, the banks of the Ems, the floating stage and the city center with its pubs and bars will become the absolute center of the city.
However, exuberant and fun-filled evenings and nights also harbor dangers for women and girls. In order to be able to offer as much safety as possible, the specialized counseling center against sexualized violence (Diakonie WesT e.V.), the equal opportunity commissioner of the city of Rheine and Rheine.Tourismus.Veranstaltungen.EV are starting the campaign “Is Luisa here?”
With this question, women can turn to the counter staff for quick and discreet help if they feel harassed. Catering staff at the Emsfestival are also taking part in the campaign.
The help can look very different. For example, a cab can be called, friends and companions of the women can be informed or, at the request of the respective woman, the police can be called. Luisa does not only help in concrete situations, already the possibility of low-threshold help gives a feeling of security. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the issue of sexual harassment and protect women.
“Good celebrations need good framework conditions and attentive hosts. We are pleased to be able to implement the relatively new “Luisa” project at events in Rheine. It helps to raise awareness and together send a clear signal against sexualized violence,” explain Ria Mester, Gaby Beckmann and Anja Ohlrogge. “We want to make celebrating safer and reduce the inhibition threshold to ask for help,” the cooperation partners affirm.