The annual Comic-Con gathering in San Diego, CA draws thousands of fans for a few days of fun and games. But our NYC sexual harassment lawyers have learned that female comic fans are exposing the darker side to Comic-Con. According to a new activist group, costumed women at the festival are prime targets for sexual harassment, including groping, cat-calling, and other offensive behavior.

Founded by three Philadelphia women, Geeks for CONsent was formed to promote the respectful treatment of women at Comic-Con. An online petition the organization started has gathered about 2,600 signatures supporting a formal anti-harassment policy at Comic-Con. Geeks for CONsent want staff members to be trained to handle sexual harassment complaints as well.

Women at the festival have complained about being subjected to sexist and vulgar comments and having their photos taken and posted without permission. They report being groped and feeling unsafe, particularly while wearing their costumes.

Many of the costumes female fans adorn are admittedly revealing, which addresses another issue: just because a woman is wearing a revealing outfit does not open the door for harassment and abuse. The members of Geeks for CONsent want women to feel safe regardless of what they wear.
In a statement, Comic-Con representatives said they have an explicit code of conduct that is emailed to each registered attendee, and add that harassing or offensive behavior will not be tolerated.

Does your workplace have an anti-harassment policy in place?

The Comic-Con fans address an important issue that may affect your everyday life: does your workplace have formal policies regarding harassment and reporting? If so, familiarize yourself with such rules and regulations. And if not, request information from your superiors about how to handle claims of harassment.

Don’t hesitate to speak with a New York City sexual harassment lawyer if your rights have been violated.
The Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC handles a multitude of cases that involve sexual harassment in Manhattan and the greater New York City area. For further information, please feel free to call us at 212-587-0760.

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