Camp Cope and friends speak out against sexual assault at gigs: #ItTakesOne
September 8th 2016
Jared Richards
Frustrated by the growing trend of sexual assaults towards women at concerts and music festivals, Melbourne three piece Camp Cope have called on fellow artists to take a stand. Yesterday they launched #ItTakesOne, a video campaign imploring punters to speak out and demand change.
“The point is: it takes one person’s behaviour to ruin a show, but it also takes one person to stand up and make a difference,” says Camp Cope bassist Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich.
The video includes more than 25 musicians and industry figures, including Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, Chris Farren, The Jezabel’s Nick Kaloper, Jules Rozenbergs from The Bennies and Drew Gardner from Totally Unicorn, among others. Camp Cope were inspired by conversations with other bands who are fed up with the current culture, and feel that live music should be a safe space for music fans and artists alike.
“When you go to a show, it’s okay to jump around, go crazy, have a mosh, have a dance with your friends, have a dance with a stranger,” says Clowns’ singer Stevie Williams.
“Just don’t sexually assault them. It’s simple.”
The message is simple because the solution is simple: respect other people’s spaces and bodies, and if you see something, speak out.
“Sure, let’s say girls to the front, but let’s also say dickheads out the back door,” says Callum Preston from Everfresh Studios.
“It’s our time to say we don’t accept this shit anymore.”
Watch the #ItTakesOne video below.
For information and support, visit 1800respect.org.au.