2024, the year of “Brat Summer” and Safe Night NI.

This year has been a powerful step in starting a fresh campaign toward addressing issues of safety, inclusivity and accessibility in Northern Ireland's nightlife. 

Our campaign recognises how gender-based violence, racism, LGBTQIA+ phobia, and discrimination against people with disabilities can manifest in nightlife, creating an exclusionary and, at times, hostile environment. 

Women and LGBTQIA+ individuals are often targeted with harassment and physical violence, while POC face racial discrimination that affects their experiences and safety. People with disabilities encounter structural violence, from accessibility challenges to discriminatory treatment, that make nightlife a difficult or dangerous space to navigate.

Safe Night NI is committed to shifting this culture toward one of care and safeguarding. For us, that means encouraging stakeholders to take proactive steps to create inclusive, respectful, and safe environments. 

A key area of focus for our campaign in 2024-2025 is tackling spiking. A specific action often targeting women and femmes, we see this is as part of the overall picture of violence against women and girls. Despite the prevalence of spiking, it is often dismissed as a “normal” risk of going out, with victims frequently facing blame instead of support and justice.

Safe Night NI aims to make spiking a stand-alone offense, which we hope will raise conversation, empower victims to report incidents, create a more accurate understanding of how widespread the issue is, and better inform stakeholders in handling incidents of spiking. 

We also want to see empowered staff in bars, clubs, and venues able to play an active role in preventing spiking. This involves adopting practical measures, such as training staff to spot signs of spiking, and developing clear protocols for responding to reported incidents.

Since our campaign began, we’ve gained traction with support from victims, aligned campaigns, charitable organisations, media outlets, and political parties, all of whom share our vision of safer nights out for everyone. Together, we are advocating for a nightlife that doesn’t just accept these harms as inevitable but actively works to prevent them. Through continued collaboration, awareness campaigns, and policy efforts, Safe Night NI seeks to transform the nighttime economy into a space where everyone—regardless of gender, sexuality, race, or ability—can enjoy their evening without fear of discrimination or violence.

Petition · Criminalise Spiking in Northern Ireland - United Kingdom · Change.org

Tanya Kearns (she/her)

SAFE NIGHT NI
Instagram:

@safe_night_ni