License to cause harm? Sex entertainment venues and women's sense of safety in inner city centres

Abstract

A growing body of evidence looks at violence and harm caused to women working in lap dancing clubs. However, little attention has been paid to the wider impact of the licensing of sex entertainment venues (SEVs) on women's sense of safety and well-being in city centres where they are concentrated. This article contributes to the debate around the licensing of lap dancing clubs and gendered harm, using testimonies from a participatory photography research project facilitated by Sara Parker. Findings support feminist arguments that women's sense of safety and wellbeing in public spaces is compromised by the widespread use of sexualised imagery of women and girls in public spaces and by the growth of SEVs such as lap dancing clubs.