After #MeToo and #Balancetonporc, the hashtag #Balancetonbar appears on social media. This movement allows women to denounce the sexual assaults they have suffered in bars.
Let’s speak.
Let’s denounce.
Let’s file a complaint.
Let’s make it public.
Let’s break the silence.
Let’s end impunity. #MeToo #MeTooMédias #BalanceTonBar #PasUneDePlus— UN Women (@ONUFemmes) November 11, 2021
One evening, one drink… And then it’s a blackout. #Balancetonbar is a rallying cry, but above all a way to free speech. Accounts of sexual assaults where women have been drugged without their knowledge are multiplying on the Internet.
A movement born in Belgium
This mobilization stems from an observation: bars and nightclubs are regularly the scene of sexual assaults. 17 rape complaints have been filed against a bartender in Brussels.
In this context, a group of Belgian feminists decided to launch a call for a boycott on social media. The goal is to impact the turnover of bars and clubs to force them to implement necessary measures.
Now echoed in Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom, the hashtag quickly went viral. All over France, Instagram accounts titled “#Balancetonbar” are emerging, including one in Nice.
The effects of GHB
Commonly known as the date rape drug, GHB is a liquid that anesthetizes and causes memory loss. It is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, making it nearly impossible to detect. The effects are very fast. Moreover, it is detectable for six hours in the blood and for twelve hours in the urine.
To fight against GHB in drinks, I know it shouldn’t exist in 2021, but it’s the best solution today…#balancetonbar pic.twitter.com/md6QB6Myp2
— . (@rick_rmg) November 8, 2021
In Reims, some bars are installing protective covers on the rims of glasses to prevent drugs from being poured into them.
