It has come to our attention that Merriwa Tavern The Sixty 30 has made an application to vary existing trading conditions to allow topless waitresses or ‘skimpies’.

As an organisation that fights against commercial sexual exploitation of women and girls, Collective Shout strongly opposes this application on the grounds that:

• The use of women’s bodies in sexual entertainment and services is a form of prostitution
• Sexual trade in women’s bodies both causes and contributes to gender inequality by reducing women to mere objects for men’s use and enjoyment, with adverse impacts on women who are directly involved as well as women as a whole
• A significant body of research links sexual objectification of women with violence against women 
• Sexploitation venues pose a threat to women, with women reporting increased incidents of sexual harassment, abuse and violence in areas in close proximity to strip clubs

[*Update: FFSA have replied. Their response is posted at the bottom of the article.]

A few weeks ago we wrote an article on SBS about a local South Australian soccer club hosting a men's night complete with strippers down at the club. The event sparked a lot of discussion on our Facebook page and in response we wrote this piece highlighting some of the main issues with a men's sporting club participating in the purchase of sexual services. 

Only a matter of weeks later, we have learned about yet another South Australian club venue hosting a similar event - and they may have gotten away with it if the so-called 'Adult Entertainment' agency had not posted a photo from the night on Instagram, complete with the club's logo in the background.

Adelaide soccer club, Para Hills West, have attracted negative attention after organising a fundraiser with female strippers. The club then promoted this event with a poster featuring a highly sexualised image of a g-string clad woman, in their venue frequented by families and children.

Our Director of Operations, Coralie Alison, was invited to respond to this development in an opinion piece on SBS which we shared on our Facebook page alongside an image of the poster. Supporters of the club were quick to respond with the same old predictable arguments. We’ve addressed these common claims below:

The Para Hills West Soccer Club in Adelaide seems to have missed the memo.

With a new focus on objectification of women, abuse, violence, sexism and misogyny, Para Hills West decides not only to host a ‘Men’s Night’ fundraiser – but advertise it at the club for all the junior boys to see. 

Para Hills West is making sure boys learn early about what women are good for. It seems to have ignored amateur soccer’s own code of conduct.

This poster is on display at the club in full view of junior players