Ten years ago, safer spaces initiatives and violence prevention in events were still emerging. Today, they have become standard practice. Well, not quite. But we can say that many promoters, in Brussels and elsewhere, have started their journey towards creating safer spaces.

When it comes to psychoactive substances, we have seen a shift from a “zero tolerance” approach towards one based on harm reduction. As for the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), considerable progress has been made over the past five years, in a field where the Brussels-Capital Region previously had very little in place. For many, SGBV is much more than just an acronym.

Alongside awareness-raising, training and passive prevention efforts, Care Teams have also started to emerge at many events. However, their presence is not yet widespread, and their work is still not covered by a legal framework. This means that some of their interventions are technically illegal, leaving them in an unacceptable position of precarity – despite the fact that their presence is greatly appreciated by younger audiences.

After ten years of experimentation, what more can we expect from organisers, festivals and public authorities to ensure that these practices can continue to exist and evolve? What are the next steps?

At the end of the talk, we will present a joint open letter, calling on the relevant ministers to establish a legal framework for the work that is done by Care Teams, enabling them to carry out their work within a protected, clear and recognised legal context. We hope to have it signed by as many of the organisers present as possible.

This is a free event but registration is mandatory. You can do so via this link.