Melb Venue Takes Stand Against Sexual Harassment: 'We've Got To Get Rid Of The Dirtbags'

Following a number of harrowing reports of sexual harassment and assault in recent months, a Melbourne live music venue has decided to take a stand and ensure it is a safe space for the music community. 

If you happen to go by stalwart establishment Cherry Bar in AC/DC Lane over the coming days, you may notice a number of signs now displayed in the venue condemning sexual harassment.

"We need to make a statement on what our principles are, rather than keep them hidden," Cherry Bar owner James Young told theMusic.

"We need to provide on the spot options for people who witness or are subjected to sexual harassment."

Though he insists assaults do not occur at his venue, Young says he wants the entire music industry to take a stand against it.

"The reality is we don’t want it at Cherry or anywhere."

Young also revealed that the venue are looking into introducing a specific phone number that punters can call when inside Cherry should they feel unsafe, a similar approach to what US band Modern Baseball adopted earlier this year.

"Whether it’s bar staff, security, the management, the owner, any person associated with the venue can be spoken to and they all understand that there’s no questions. You immediately treat the matter as serious," Young said.

"I hope that other venues might follow our approach or an approach that works for them, because it really is important that the music industry that we all work in and love works together to stamp out something that none of us want there.

"We’ve got to get rid of the dirtbags, nobody wants them there. We want the whole industry to respond with power and say, 'It stops now'. 

"We’re not going to tolerate it and there’ll be consequences if we see it."

Check out the new signs now being displayed at Cherry Bar below.

The news comes just a day after police appealed for public assistance to locate a man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl at US popstar Selena Gomez' concert at Margaret Court Arena earlier this month.