CRISSCROSS reaches its final stage with a conference in Lisbon

With the title ‘Gender-based violence in nightlife and leisure venues: moving forward inclusive models of care and collaborative responses’ it gathered more than 60 attendees

Lisbon hosted the final conference of the CRISSCROSS project to discuss strategies and actions to move forward inclusive models of care and collaborative responses to have nightlife and leisure spaces free of gender-based violence. 60 people, mostly professionals from different countries and fields, attended the conference in person and about 40 more followed the online streaming.

Lara Rot, project coordinator from ABD, opened the conference sharing the goals and the main activities carried out by the partners. Then, Cristiana Pires from Kosmicare, Cecilia Gaboardi from Cooperativa Lotta, Mariorosa Lanelli from ACRA, Alex Loverre from 4Motion, Nicki Killeen from Health Service Executive, Jordi Navarro from ABD and Luisa Herrera from Universidad de Sevilla introduced the main impacts from the pilots implemented in Lisbon, Milano, Luxemburg, Dublin and Barcelona. In addition, they shared the insights from the training program and the communications campaign and the results of the research report.

Policy recommendations to safer and inclusive nightlife environments were approached by Isabel Herrera from Universidad de Sevilla alongside with Linda Montanari from the European Union Drugs Agency, who shared the data gathered by the agency regarding drugs use and GBV context, prevalence and temporality.

After the coffee break, there was a panel discussion about Approaches to addressing and preventing sexual violence in nightlife with Ana Burgos, Coordinator of Observatori Noctàmbul@s & Malva project; Elisa Virgili, Researcher of Bicocca University – both members of the CRISSCROSS Advisory Board-; Rebeca Marques Rocha, PhD at the Central European University in Vienna and member of the International Network Youth RISE; Mathilde Neuville, Co-founder and president of Consentis; Kusaï Kedri, Project manager at the Rosa Letzebuerg organization and the Rainbow Center; and João Matias, Scientific analyst on drug use at European Union Drugs Agency.

Presentation of project results

The main results of the CRISSCROSS project were presented at the final conference. Some of them are already available for download on the Crisscross website.

• Research report: Needs Analysis & Joint Good Practices to address Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in Nightlife Environments
• Training program: addressed at professionals working with young people and adolescents to raise awareness and prevent gender-based violence, including LGTBI-phobic incidents, in nightlife and socialization settings among the youth
• Impact Evaluation Report, containing all the information about the program, its efficacy, and guidelines for the future. (To be published)
• Policy Recommendations report, based on the research findings in all the participating EU member states. (To be published)

Conclusions

Manuel Garcia-Ruiz, researcher at the Center of Research and Studies in Sociology of the University Institute of Lisbon (CIES-Iscte) and founder of the International Night Studies Network (INSN), wrapped up the session.

He concluded that CRISSCROSS successfully fostered a safer and more inclusive nightlife by integrating education, intervention, and policy-making. The project addressed gender-based violence, expanded harm reduction frameworks, and promoted transfeminist and queer perspectives.

However, key challenges remain, including engaging cis men and increasing queer representation. To tackle these issues, it is essential to foster cross-sector collaboration, develop culturally adaptable strategies, and ensure that harm reduction is not merely used as branding. Additionally, evidence-based policymaking, open-access research, and inclusive communication are crucial for achieving a lasting impact. To ensure sustainability, harm reduction and gender-sensitive policies must be embedded within national frameworks.

European Stakeholders Networking Event

On Friday, February 7th, the Online European Stakeholders Networking Event took place. The session brought together stakeholders, organizations, and public administrations from the territories involved, aiming to share knowledge and discuss strategies for creating safer leisure spaces. A total of 71 people attended the event.

The session began with an introduction by the project coordinator, who highlighted Crisscross’s achievements in promoting safer nightlife spaces, and a brief presentation of the stakeholders attending the event, representing a diverse range of organizations and institutions involved in nightlife safety, harm reduction, and related fields.

Then partners from different pilot locations then shared insights on the project’s impact in their respective territories, emphasizing harm reduction and gender-based violence prevention. The University of Sevilla presented the Policy Recommendations report, outlining key strategies for enhancing safety in nightlife settings, including awareness campaigns, staff training, and multisectoral collaboration.

The event concluded with a Q&A session, where stakeholders discussed challenges, legal frameworks, and future collaboration opportunities. Participants expressed strong interest in adapting Crisscross strategies to their local contexts, reinforcing the project’s relevance and potential for broader implementation.

Final Event in Sant Cugat: Engaging Youth for Safer Nightlife

The final event of the pilot implemented by ABD took place in Sant Cugat, on the 30th of January at Casal Masia Torreblanca, in collaboration with Sant Cugat City Council. Around 30 people attended the event, most of them youngsters from the youth employment workshops of the Oficina Jove.  

The Health councillor of Sant Cugat, Núria Fernández, opened the session by highlighting the commitment of the city council to design safer and more inclusive nightlife spaces. Then, Lara Rot, Konstantina Logkari and Jordi Navarro, from ABD, shared the interventions carried out in the 5 territories of Europe and, specifically, in the nightlife areas in Sant Cugat and the commitment to get close and listen to what the youth has to say. They explained how they became a reference space at night and it made it possible to create links with the youngsters. 

During the event, the short documentary Soundscape (Paisatge sonor) made by UNDR was screened and led to a conversation between professionals and youngsters about their nightlife and leisure experiences, substance use and situations of violence encountered.

The music of Riki Undersounds and the food from Bar Bocamoll were the perfect conclusion to foster some networking and informal exchanges between the youngsters.