Bristol Fawcett's campaign against the proliferation of lapdancing clubs and the normalisation of the sex industry

For many years, Bristol Fawcett has campaigned - with Bristol Women's Forum and others - against the normalisation of the sex industry through the proliferation of lapdancing clubs.  We believe that, among other things, they promote a one-dimensional view of women's sexuality and encourage the view that women are sex objects whose bodies can be bought and sold.  We want local people to have a say in how many of these establishments they want to see in their neighbourhoods.

The links on the left will take you to websites where you can find out more about the successful national campaign, led by Fawcett and Object, to reform licensing legislation, as well as local campaigns.

In December 2009, a grassroots campaign - in which a number of Bristol Fawcett members were involved - took shape to protest against the proposed opening of yet another lapdancing club in Bristol's Old Market district.  A petition - signed by a significant number of local residents - was organised and presented, and many individuals and groups made statements to the Council's Planning Committee, which met on 15th December and rejected the application.

Bristol's citizens are clear about wanting their voices to be heard when it comes to the proliferation of the sex industry.  The licensing legislation has been reformed and on 29 June 2010 in the culmination of the main objective of our campaign our members submitted a public statement to Bristol City Council whose members voted to adopt the new powers to require clubs to apply for "Sexual Entertainment Venue" licences.  

We are now looking forward to the development of the Council's policy on licensing sexual entertainment venues.
 


Download our flyers/posters about the realities of lapdancing clubs.

Follow the links to two posters/flyers which you can print off and distribute (in men's toilets, in nightclubs, in magazines... let your imagination guide you!)

Poster: Getting Married? Most women think visiting a lapdancing club is cheating

Poster: Will you tell your partner about visiting a lapdancing club? You know she'll feel betrayed