Smashing Backdoors in and the Wandering Eye: An Introduction to Bartenders’ Experiences with Unwanted Sexual Attention while Working in the UK

• Date: 01 January 2022
• DOI: 10.1177/15570851211001922
• Published date: 01 January 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/15570851211001922

Feminist Criminology

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DOI: 10.1177/15570851211001922

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Article

Smashing Backdoors in and

the Wandering Eye: An

Introduction to Bartenders’

Experiences with Unwanted

Sexual Attention while

Working in the UK

James Frederick Green1

Abstract

Literature on unwanted sexual attention in the night-time economy has focused

predominantly on patrons and ignores those who are employed in it. This paper

draws on participant observations of, and interviews with, 10 current, and 5 former,

bartenders’ engagement with unwanted behaviors at a public house. Data gathered

will outline the common and infrequent forms of unwanted sexual attention and who

the perpetrators are. I also remold the concept of ‘feisty femininity’ to reflect female

bartenders’ combative strategies against male customers. I end with a suggestion for

the implementation of specific training strategies for all employed in licensed venues.

Keywords

unwanted sexual attention, barstaff, masculinity, feisty femininity, night-time economy

Introduction

Generally, upon entry to a licensed establishment in the UK, it is likely that a customer

will be greeted by a member of staff who will introduce themselves as the providers of

service. They are possibly physically attractive as many venues in the night-time econ-

omy (NTE) rely on the good looks of their staff to bring in the so-called punters1 (e.g.,

Colosi, 2010). Once settled, a bargoer may notice forms of sexual performances on

1University College London, UK

Corresponding Author:

James Frederick Green, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.

Email: james.green.20@ucl.ac.uk

1001922

FCXXXX10.1177/15570851211001922Feminist CriminologyGreen

research-article

2021

2022, Vol. 17(1) 96 –115

Green 97

2 Feminist Criminology 00(0)

display “through dress. . . corporeal presentation [and] sexualised dancing” (Fileborn,

2016, p. 122). They will potentially be in the company of young people who are seek-

ing wanted sexual encounters (Fileborn, 2016) and those who expect to consume large

quantity of alcohol (Christmas & Seymour, 2014). While many bargoers strive to have

an experience that leads to a positive outcome, the sexualization of the space allows

unwanted contact to flourish. Groping, molestation, and other forms of unwanted con-

tact are obstacles that patrons are faced with whilst participating in a “night out”

(Christmas & Seymour, 2014). In commercial bars and clubs, unwanted sexual pur-

suits between patrons usually functions heteronormatively (Lindsay, 2006) with men

acting sexually predatory toward women (Anderson et al., 2009), whilst women may

be passive in their exchanges or feisty with their responses (Gunby et al., 2019;

Kavanaugh, 2013). But what happens if patrons move their sexualized gaze toward

bartenders?

Although there has been mention of bartenders in licensed venues experiencing

unwanted sexual attention from patrons (e.g., Coffey et al., 2018), to date there appears

to be a lack of academic inquiry in the UK into understanding bartenders’ experiences

with this phenomenon, how they negotiate, combat, and struggle with this whilst

working, and who the perpetrators are. A minority of scholars from countries including

Australia and Nigeria (e.g., Aborisade, 2020; Coffey et al., 2018) explore “gender,

sexuality, pleasure, and risk” (Coffey et al., 2018, p. 728) and sexual harassment within

the industry. Aborisade’s study in Nigeria found that some female bartenders were

involved in a series of conflicts whilst at work, including receiving sexual harassment

from customers, colleagues, and management, and punished for implementing com-

bative strategies to deflect perpetrators’ actions. An interviewee summarizes this point,

“. . .there had been cases where some individuals assaulted my colleagues. They were

severely punished with deduction in wages just because they defended themselves”

(Aborisade, 2020, p. 18). Both papers contend that experiences of sexual harassment

are normalized in licensed venues. Nevertheless, much of the current literature sur-

rounding unwanted sexual attention in the NTE claim that the workforce actively cre-

ates an environment where sexualized behaviors are normalized, tolerated, and

encouraged (see Fileborn, 2016, 2017; Graham et al., 2017; Gunby et al., 2019).

Scholars also highlight that a small minority of barstaff have refused to help customers

as it did not result in financial gain, and, in some cases, they were the perpetrators in

generating unwanted sexual attention (see Fileborn, 2016, 2017; Fox & Sobol, 2000).

It has been recommended that bartenders should receive training on how to recognize

and handle violence of a sexual nature on venue premises, and that obtaining and

retaining information regarding due diligence is needed to prevent serious cases of

harm (Fileborn, 2016, 2017; Gunby et al., 2019).

A widespread theme for many scholars whilst engaging with research in the NTE

has been to focus predominantly on unwanted sexual interactions between patrons in

licensed venues (mainly pubs and clubs) which, in general, document the male

patron(s) exhibiting their sexual desires, in various forms, onto the female patron(s)

(Brooks, 2008; Fileborn, 2012, 2016, 2017; Fox & Sobol, 2000; Graham et al., 2014,

2017; Gunby et al., 2019; Kavanaugh, 2013; Nicholls, 2018; Watson, 2000). Many