On a Friday night, amid the flashing lights and heavy heat of Montreal's Datcha nightclub, a drunken young man weaves his way through the crowd, grabbing women at the hips as he goes.
More and more people are turning to PLURI, whether for their members to attend events or for training, says Thivierge, who has noted a change in attitude in recent years.
While it is difficult to quantify harassment levels in the city's night life, a 2017 report by the Conseil des Montrealaises, a municipal organization focusing on the status of women, showed that more than half the people who responded to a questionnaire said they had experienced harassment or aggression while attending the numerous outdoor events hosted by the city.
To tackle the problem, the big festivals -- the Osheaga, the Francofolies and the Jazz Festival -- use the services of Les Hirondelles (The Swallows), a group whose services are similar to PLURI's even if the context of daytime and public events is very different from the nightlife experience.
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