Dear AnthroCon: Can We Do Something (Good) About This, Please?

[the_gneech]

So a gal was approached by a creepy guy at AnthroCon; gal chose to be polite and mostly non-confrontational, guy chose to be creepy. Yesterday, gal wrote a blog post about the event, detailing the creepy guy as a warning to other gals who may have been similarly creeped at.

Since then, gal’s post got linked to on 4chan and lulz.net, which apparently mobilized hordes of knuckle-dragging scumsuckers to mock and harass her, effectively bullying her into removing the post and generally creating a “you better keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good for you, girlie” environment. As a result, she’s now gone quiet about it, and creepy guy is still out there, creeping.

This must not stand.

Creepy guy does not appear to have been an AC attendee, but gal was, and we should be protecting our own. Not only in the case of the incident (’cause even the Dorsai, love ‘em, can’t be everywhere at once), but also when she tries to tell everyone what happened and spread the word.

I’m not posting gal’s name here, because if she feels threatened she’s entitled to her anonymity. But we need to create an environment where gal is the one who is safe and protected by the social fabric, and creepy guys are the ones who get shamed and harassed.

More On the Topic…

Victim shaming & blaming (sexual harassment at Anthrocon)

Dragon*Con’s Back Up Project FAQ

Video Blog on a Different (But Sadly the Same) Event

-The Gneech

(Crossposted to the AnthroCon LJ community and my LiveJournal)

Originally published at gneech.com. You can comment here or there.

Comments

All for one an one for all

[grayalynn.livejournal.com]

I am not in the AC community, but I strongly agree with you. Geeks need to stand up for Geeks.

ON a related note:
http://sinfest.net/comikaze/comics/2012-06-20.gif

(I was told that my first post was labeled as SPAM - for some reason, maybe this one will take.)

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

If creepy guy wasn't an AC attendee, what could we have done?

I think a good solution is to explain to folks that if creepy guy bothers you, immediately go and find a staffer or security guy. Let security folks handle it. And if security thinks he's not staying in the hotel or part of the con, call hotel security or the police.

Boiled down, the ladies need to be able to grab an able bodied male and throw him in the way.

[tashabear.livejournal.com]

I really hope what you meant is something along the lines of, "People who feel threatened and not up to the task of handling it need to able to quickly and easily find backup they can trust." Because it's not just women who can be harassed and made to feel unsafe, and it's not just men who can take care of such problems.

Signed,

A Woman Who Trains To Be Good Backup

[fastclaw.livejournal.com]

If this kind of behavior goes on, you report it to con security and hotel staff if you're on the property. If it's not you have the hotel staff contact the police and let them do their job.

I've been to enough cons to have dealt with physical and verbal confrontation and every incident was handled swiftly even if it meant an hour at the police station after making a citizens arrest and getting a free box of donuts out of the ordeal. Posting things up on the internet just feeds the trolls; if you go onto any news sites these days that have open posting you will see nothing BUT trolling and retardation.

If said party WAS a part of the con and causing issues it would be commendable if they'd take care of making sure that individual isn't welcomed to future events... though I've seen in the past where some cons and staff never take a warning seriously then somebody gets hurt. Needless to say, if the warnings are documented and nothing is done an issue like that can lead to a lawsuit.

Please put me in touch with the original poster

[rene gobeyn (from livejournal.com)]

Can you please put me in touch with the original poster? I'd like to get a little more information if I can.

While we can't be everywhere, I don't like hearing that something like this happened at one of the cons I'm responsible for.

Many thanks
Rene Gobeyn (AKA Renegade)D.I.
Anthrocon chief of security

Re: Please put me in touch with the original poster

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I will point the person here-- I don't feel right about sending her info to other people. :) Hopefully she will get in touch with you.

-TG

Re: Please put me in touch with the original poster

[camstone.livejournal.com]

Rene - Send me your email - she would like to talk to you. - Camstone

[ursulav.livejournal.com]

Oh, that poor woman. How horrible--damned if you do, damned if you don't.

AC is, in my experience, one of the very safest cons I do, and it's awful to think this happened to somebody there--and that the internet hordes were so vile about it.

[kamau-d-lyon.livejournal.com]

Problem is that the situation the person found themselves in did not allow an immediate escape and if I recall correctly it was post con as this person and other traveling companions were leaving.

My suggestion is that the person file a report with the police and hopefully they could then get security camera footage of the area involved. If the creepy person has a record and/or is a sexual offender what was reported should be enough to put them away.

Best approach for anyone is to always have backup and an action/escape plan in place. But even the best of all plans can fail. In short we need to keep eyes open for each other before, during and after a con.

Good Grief!

[kelloggs2066.livejournal.com]

I'm very sad to hear the story and incredibly disappointed in the conduct of the people involved (except of course the victim!)

[kylet.livejournal.com]

Thanks for doing this. People are totally missing the point. We probably can't convict the @#$%, no. But I heard she was harassed into taking her entry down. Talk about insult to injury. So obviously we need a more public, neutral venue to get it out in the open and talk about it.
Apparently it's fairly widespread, and I'm frankly disgusted and also surprised I hadn't really heard about it before. Just getting the word out here and letting EVERYONE know what to look out for will hopefully do some good in the future.