Project Spotlight : Lighting up the party, one active bystander at a time

At parties, it’s not just the music that hits hard: statistics do too. In fact, 32% of people report having experienced sexual violence at a party.

Whether it’s a lingering stare that makes you uncomfortable in the corner of a bar, or those Vox-Pop interviews with ultra-intrusive questions that we see everywhere on social media, let’s just say we’ve all seen moments that break the vibe a little. So, to keep the party fun AND safe, we’re putting it all under the Spotlight!

But what exactly is Spotlight?

The Spotlight project is our way of making events even more enjoyable. It’s a service designed to prevent sexual violence at parties so that everyone can have a good time without stress. Spotlight was conceived as a small, reassuring light at the heart of the party. Its role? To help create events where people can dance, meet people, have fun, and feel safe from start to finish. In short, a safer, more inclusive, and more respectful space, where the pleasure of going out (but also consent 🙂) remains at the center of everything.

And… why was this wonderful service set up?

Party culture sometimes tends to trivialize or normalize behaviors that would not be tolerated in other contexts. For example, certain gestures or attitudes, such as:

• being a little too handsy without consent;
• insisting on unwanted physical contact;
• pestering someone in public in an insistent or intrusive manner;
• or even pressuring someone to give you the bartender’s number;

These are sometimes considered “acceptable” simply because they occur in a festive setting. However, a party should remain a space where everyone can feel respected and safe. The goal is to raise awareness and encourage responsible behavior in order to make the entire party scene safer, more inclusive, and more welcoming.

It’s also important to remember that substance use can also come into play when it comes to consent. And yes, in a party setting, the use of substances such as alcohol or other drugs is often part of the experience, and contributes to the overall atmosphere. BUT! It’s important to remember that these substances can also alter people’s behavior, sometimes amplifying unacceptable or even violent gestures or attitudes. They can also make it more difficult for a person under their influence to give truly informed consent, which further complicates the situation.

Okay, but what can we actually do?

Unfortunately, GRIP cannot be present at every single event in Montreal :(. But now that you are a Spotlight expert, you can adopt a few simple strategies to contribute to everyone’s safety. First, we encourage you to keep your eyes open and stay alert to what’s going on around you: look out for uncomfortable situations, inappropriate behavior, or anyone who might be in trouble. Basically, it’s the active bystander approach! In a festive setting, observing and intervening appropriately can really make a difference.

Psst! We already have a comprehensive blog post on the active bystander approach, which details concrete strategies for taking action in different situations.

If you wanna know more about the active bystander approach, click here !

So step into the spotlight! Be vigilant, take action, and help create parties where respect and safety are never optional.

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