Installation aims to make men aware of threatening behaviour
A new interactive art installation has opened at the Bourse in Brussels. The piece aims to confront men who perpetrate street harassment and confront them with the impact of their actions on others.
Artists Nathalie Erin, Frédéric Durieu and Gilles de Boncourt, in collaboration with the Emergency Victim Assistance (EVA) cell of the Brussels Capital-Ixelles police zone, created the installation.
The experience focuses particularly on men, who are statistically more likely to be perpetrators of harassment in Brussels, allowing them to "experience first-hand what transgressive behaviour is and what it feels like".
"We talk about it a lot, but this way you can really feel what women experience on the street"
The five-minute “harassment simulator” uses audio recordings and images to create a realistic encounter, with each visitor’s movements influencing the animation, immersing them in scenarios that women often face while in public. It also serves as a message to victims, reminding them they are not to blame for the harassment they endure.
Visitors also have the opportunity for dialogue: potential victims and potential perpetrators can engage with one another and share experiences.
Before entering the installsation, each visitor fills out a questionnaire and marks areas on a map where they feel unsafe. The results reveal a significant contrast: women report feeling vulnerable in far more locations across Brussels than men, who generally name only a handful of streets.
Real confrontation
This collaboration with the EVA cell has inspired a new training initiative for officers called Street Poetry @ PolBru. The programme is designed to increase police awareness of harassment issues through practical, real-life scenarios, with a focus on understanding how street harassment affects women.
"We talk about it a lot, but this way you can really feel what women experience on the street," said police chief Michel Goovaerts after trying the simulator, describing it as “a real confrontation”.
Goovaerts expressed his satisfaction with his department’s involvement in the project and the new training programme. He highlighted the need for police to understand the behaviours men exhibit and the safety concerns of women in Brussels.
Up to 100 officers a day can participate in the training, which promotes hands-on, real-world experience over theoretical learning.
© PHOTO HANS LUCAS AFP
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