
Coachella
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Coachella Announces "Every One" Initiative To Fight Harassment And Assault
With news of the stacked 2019 Coachella lineup and re-upped partnership with YouTube still fresh, the iconic desert music festival has announced new measures to fight against harassment and assault. Named "Every One," the initiative outlines plans to ensure all festivalgoers feel safe and comfortable while they attend, including safety ambassadors throughout the grounds, trained counselors on-site, all-gender restrooms, ADA accessibility, and a zero tolerance policy on assault and harassment.
"We are pushing ourselves and our guests to do better and to be better," says the Coachella website. "We are taking deliberate steps to develop a festival culture that is safe and inclusive for everyone. Persons of any gender identity or expression, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, age or ability are welcome at Coachella."
The new initiative operates in harmony with the current Code of Conduct, which does not mention harassment or assault explicitly. Last April, Teen Vogue reported "rampant" sexual harassment at Coachella 2018, saying, "Of the 54 young women who spoke to Teen Vogue for this piece during the weekend-long event, all of them had a story of sexual assault or harassment that occurred this year at Coachella." This alarming report was magnified by how similar and pervasive the accounts were, with one young woman estimating she'd been touched inappropriately 40 times over the three day weekend festival.
The festival's new measures promise to address the issue and take real action toward creating a safer environment.
"Coachella will NOT tolerate any form of assault or harassment," the Coachella website continues, "Be it sexual, physical or verbal. Anyone found to be in violation of this policy is subject to immediate removal from the festival site and law enforcement may be notified. The offender’s Festival Wristband may be revoked and no refund will be issued."
Coachella 2019 will take place April 12–14 and 19–21 in Indio, Calif. Tickets go on sale today, Jan. 4, via the festival's website.
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