Back off. Back Up.
Safer Streets. Safer Spaces. Safer Cities.
Back Off. Back Up. (BOBU) is an offshoot project of Across Rainbows, an LGBTQ+ organisation focused on redefining Queer identity.
The two initiatives work in synchronicity with each other. We are working towards a future where LGBTQ+ people not only feel confident and emotionally secure in themselves, but where they are able to feel physically secure whilst out and about in the community.
In essence we want you to be able to Be Out, and Be You
Sadly, being different can make us vulnerable and threats may not be immediately obvious. It’s not always about physical violence, or verbal abuse; Sometimes it’s just a gut feeling - a sense of being stared at, followed, or just not being welcome.
When these uncomfortable situations arise, having somewhere to retreat to for immediate help without judgement or questions can make all the difference. That's where Back Off. Back Up. comes into the picture.
Venues & Safe Spaces
Safer streets for Brighton & Hove
Across Rainbows is rallying Brighton businesses to help people feel safer on the streets. A yellow and black BOBU sticker in a storefront indicates that anyone feeling concerned can go inside and find help.
Venues that have signed up to commit to making their space safer will be featured on our app and receive this sticker. This means that their staff will have taken part in our safety workshop and are trained to help someone in need of assistance. This could include:
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Offering space to charge your phone
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Helping you to get in touch with a friend or family member
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Ordering you a taxi to get home safely
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Calling the emergency services if needed
What does the App provide?
Find nearby LGBTQ+ safe spaces and sexual health advice
Our specially designed street safety and support App is tailored to help users:
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Find designated 'safe places' locally which have the BOBU sticker in a storefront or venue window*
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Find venues that provide HIV and sexual health tests nearby in the local area
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Stay informed with a 5-star rating system to give feedback on your experience after visiting a BOBU affiliated venue.
With this we can make sure that all of our venues are delivering on their safety commitment or make improvements where necessary
Venues with a BOBU sticker have signed up to commit to making their space safer and more aware.
Their staff have taken part in our safety workshop and are trained to help someone in need of assistance.
Download the BOBU App today on the App Store & Google Play Store
Why we need Bobu
Providing refuge and reliability.
Nobody should have to feel unsafe in public because of their gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or skin colour.
And yet many do - every single day, even in our wonderfully diverse city of Brighton & Hove.
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Three in 10 LGBT people avoid certain streets because they don’t feel safe being an openly gay or trans person there
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Transgender identity hate crime increased by 37% last year
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Offences linked to sexual orientation rose by 25%
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Most women (97%) have been harassed in public at some point in their lives
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Racism is the most commonly reported hate crime
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Hate crime has doubled in the last 5 years.
How our sticker helps
Technically, every business should be a place of safety. But asking for help isn't always that easy.
Even when we feel threatened, it can seem easier to keep our heads down, keep walking, and hoping it’ll go away.
Back Off. Back Up. is a signal that it’s OK to ask for help. But it isn’t just a sticker in a window. Across Rainbows and participating businesses will be taking to social media and the press to shout about street safety.
Back Off. Back Up. is a reminder that Brighton’s shops, bars, cafes and restaurants have the ability to be safe, non-judgemental spaces anyone can hop into to escape a scary or unwanted situation at any time.
Sometimes we just need to know support is out there.