Social Rituals, an introduction to the customer dancer dynamic.

So I have been quiet for the last couple of weeks one because the industry has been fairly quiet but two because I have several things ongoing including studies on the World Science University website. I have also been looking at the comparative nature of crime around SEVs and nightclubs, from what I have seen it would make a fantastic study for someone working in the sociology departments of a university interested in this field. You have clubs located in high crime area alongside nightclubs but when a SEV is located away from nightclubs crime and especially violent and sexual crime drops. When you look at night clubs in the same town or city though their crime rates are much higher than SEVs. Given the vocal calls by Object and the like to close SEVs with the disproven claims of causal links to sexual violence you would think there would be calls to close night clubs. Strange that Object has never seen the wood for the trees with this.

So why are SEVs less likely to have sexual violence around them? These are only personal thoughts and I would be interested to see what others think of my crazy thoughts! Those of us who at some point in our lives been fairly regular to lap dancing bars or strip pubs understand there are social rituals in which we become educated. Hardy, Kingston and Saunders published in 2012 about the social rituals and fun for dancers. This logically extends into social rituals that define behaviour between dancers and customers. Obviously there will be a minority who do not engage in the social rituals that create a non threatening behaviour pattern but the number is small. Amongst those who are not or have not attended clubs often enough to understand the social rituals behaviour patterns will be different. Depending on the length of exposure to clubs and who they have attended with guys will recognise social rituals at a different rate. The social interaction in their peer groups, reactions of dancers, bar staff and bouncers will all define the development as individuals in clubs.

So given a climate where acceptance is based on understanding and obeying rules that seem to deliberately provoke customers you start to realise that clubs may be acting as a pressure valve that teaches men to accept their desires and know that they cannot take them beyond a certain point. The self control of sitting watching a performance of a dancer within feet of you without being able to do anything is actually a really good lesson in self control not just in terms of sexual behaviour but in life in general. The fact that clubs are so rarely closed or even challenged (legitimately) over sexual violence in and around the club you begin to see a picture where the social rituals including zero contact are a positive rather than the negative that those people who do not understand club dynamics would claim.

The scientist in me, trying to get out, sees several areas that could be researched that would be interesting but unfortunately it is not down to me to decide what is and isn't researched. Perhaps any sociology researchers that read this blog (and I know a few of you do) could consider looking at why customers from clubs that are no contact do not commit the sexual crimes as claimed in the past. Given that in fact we have seen reductions in Newquay and Camden surely the implication is that SEVs are actually good for the community. Men that may have issues in speaking to women or self image issues are accepted the same as any other man and are never discounted out of hand. The social ritual of acceptance helped me after major illness and a long period in hospital. Dancers don't care about what you look like, they do not judge men based on looks but are positive in their dealing. Yes we understand it is a fantasy but sometimes a little bit of acceptance goes a long way in rebuilding or building an individual's confidence to deal with life.

So from this guess I am saying that the so called rape claims and no go areas in fact are not valid. I am sure on occasion there will be an idiot making stupid comments outside a club but you get a lot more of that outside pubs and night clubs but we never see any calls for the banning of pubs and clubs. And sociologists if you are looking for research then the social rituals between dancers and customers and the positive message it sends would be one I would look forward to reading (and yes I am sure they will be one or two that ruin the perfect result). If anyone wants to follow up off the comments field my e-mail as always is at the end.

TonyN (tonyprince@acdcfan.com)