Gay public grope

I probably just ignore it most of the time ’cause I’ve got a job to do.

“It can be anything from a touch of my leg or back to a full-blown grab of my butt or groin. This needs to change.

Groping is an unpleasant issue that still pervades the scene

For those of us who are old pros at going into these gay spaces, it’s not always easy to see them objectively. “But there hasn’t been a ‘next time.’”

Nine years after she was first groped, Liz, now 23, doesn’t talk about her experiences, either—not even to her boyfriend.

“I wasn’t actively groped,” explains Rinehart, a 24-year-old office administrator. Dan was 18 when he had an experience in a Soho gay bar that still makes him feel “really grossed out” several years later.

“A guy who must have been in his late-twenties pulled my T-shirt straight over my head and said I couldn’t have it back unless I kissed his friend,” he says.

Anti-groping laws vary significantly by region or country. “Nothing that happened to me, I know now, was an accident.”

Liz, who asked to be identified only by her first name, was also groped on the Metro—just feet away from where her parents were standing. Just one venue responded with an answer. Then he said, ‘Wanna try it again now?’ and I just ran out.”

Sadly, Tyler’s experience is far from a one-off.

But he also acknowledges that, for some people, it’s not a clear-cut issue. I turned around and the guy had put his finger in his mouth. I felt violated, and pissed off, but I couldn’t even muster the courage to make eye contact.” In both instances, Liz did not confront her attackers. “When we go out, my friend says things like, ‘Trash me!,’ and I play along.

Virtual Groping: In the digital age, this has become a notable issue, where individuals may face inappropriate sexual advances online.

The psychological and emotional effects on victims can be severe. Perhaps it’s because they were being abused by professionals. Take a straight man to a gay club and they soon understand why women aren’t up for being harassed on a night out.

“I’m constantly being groped”

Speaking from personal experience, I’m consistently being grabbed and rubbed up against in the club by men who haven’t shown me the decency of a simple nod.

It’s very difficult to police this policy in these types of venues, and this is where we need to better educate our community on what is consent and what is not.”

Sometimes the grim and demeaning behaviour is a lot more creative than a supposedly playful “cheeky feel”. “By the time I figured out what he was doing, I just wanted him to finish and leave.…I didn’t want anybody else to notice what was going on, because I was so embarrassed by the whole thing,” she says.

“I had to stay,” she says. In many cultures, there are biases that can contribute to victim-blaming, making individuals hesitant to come forward. If you’re a patron then there’s a general understanding as to why you’re there, but you also know that you need some mutual understanding, be it verbal or non-verbal, before you try something.

Some common situations include:

– Public Places: Crowded areas like public transportation or festivals often lead to instances of groping due to the anonymity and closeness of people.
– Work Environments: Inappropriate behavior can take place in workplaces, where power dynamics may complicate victims’ responses.
– Online and Virtual Groping: The rise of digital interaction has led to new forms of harassment, including unsolicited messages or images that make individuals uncomfortable.

Legal Aspects of Groping

Laws and Regulations

Understanding the legal framework surrounding groping is vital for potential victims.

They are now a playground for the more sexually liberal among us, who know how to approach it. But years later, Graves still remembers the look on her groper’s face: “He just had this nasty smile on his face.