Staff of Basel’s public pools is prepared to fight sexual harassment
She has been around in the clubs in Zurich since February and will be introduced to swimming pools in Bern this summer. But is the Basel Sports Office also planning to introduce «Luisa» to our city's public swimming pools?
«Is Luisa here?» This is a question women should be able to ask club staff if they feel harassed. The «Luisa» project has been running in eleven Zurich nightclubs since the beginning of February. And as summer is almost upon us and women have to fight off harassment, not just in nightclubs but also elsewhere, there are concrete plans in Bern to introduce the «Luisa» project at public swimming pools as well.
This involves putting up bright yellow stickers at all bathing facilities in the city of Bern. Their slogan is «Zero tolerance against harassment!». Underneath is a request that any harassment incident should be reported to supervising staff. «No special action is planned for the Basel garden pools this summer», Rolf Moser, from the Basel Sports Office, told barfi.ch. However, this does not mean that the pool staff are not prepared to deal with the problem, should it arise.
Sports office trains pool staff
«Every year before the start of the new public pool season, there is the official ‘Bathing Day’. On this day, our staff will receive special training for dealing with difficult guests.» Therefore, if a woman in Basel also feels harassed, she should definitely contact the staff there as well. If a woman is harassed, the staff will call the police and the suspect will be removed from the premises, Mr Moser explained. They will also receive a one-year ban on entering all public pools in the city.
But such a ban is very difficult to enforce, of course. Rolf Moser is also aware of this problem. If a banned person nevertheless enters a pool area again and is recognized, «he will receive a complaint of trespassing». Raising awareness and training staff in Basel goes beyond sexual harassment, however. Be it a child who feels threatened or a family disturbed by the loud music of another visitor: «Anyone who feels threatened or uncomfortable can turn to the staff to find a solution to the situation», Mr Moser said.
Even without the «Is Luisa there?» campaign, Basel's garden bathing staff are well trained to deal with difficult situations. Summer and therefore the public pool season will soon be here. It is to be hoped that all bathers will treat each other with respect and that the staff will enjoy a quiet summer.
Basel politician and jazz musician «Cheese» Burckhardt, dies
Former government councillor, financial director, and «Fasnacht» march composer Lukas «Cheese» Burckhardt passed away last Thursday, «Online Reports» has reported.
According to an article, the 93-year-old died of natural causes in the «Adullam» hospital and retirement home in Basel.
Lukas Burckhardt graduated from the Münsterplatz high school in Basel. He then studied law at the University of Basel. In the 1960s, he was appointed president of the Basel Criminal Court and special representative of the ICRC in Congo. He was later a member of the Basel government council, president of the LPS (Liberal Party of Switzerland) and chairman of the bank council of the «Basler Kantonalbank».
Mr Burckhardt was also known for his love of music: as a jazz musician, he composed «Fasnacht» marches such as «Jeannot Blues» or «Whisky & Soda».
The funeral service is due to take place on Thursday, 24 May at 2.30pm in St. Peter's Church.
Police seek witnesses after robbery in Basel
The police are asking for witnesses to come forward after a man was robbed and injured as he walked home in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The 55-year-old man was walking along Zürcherstrasse near Homburgerstrasse at around 1.15am when he was suddenly attacked and beaten by four strangers. They stole his wallet and then ran off in an unknown direction. The injured man went home.
Later the same day he became unwell and had to be taken to the emergency department by a Rettung Basel-Stadt ambulance due to the serious injuries he had sustained. The man has subsequently filed criminal charges against his attackers.
There are no exact details or information about the perpetrators.
Anyone who can provide relevant information is asked to contact the criminal police of Basel-Stadt’s public prosecution on the phone number 061 267 71 11 or go to the nearest police station.