Cape Town restaurants employ “Come in” policy

Popular Roeland Street eatery The Raptor Room started an initiative to extend a warm welcome to all women who feel unsafe on the street. Coining it the “come in” policy, the restaurant and bar recognises the need to offer women a safe space following the recent spate in femicide and rape reports, and the resulting protests across Cape Town.

“As a business that is owned by womxn and staffed by 80% womxn, our hearts are broken and we are angry. Angry for all of the angels who will not see tomorrow because a man thought of her so little, he took her light away,” writes the Raptor Room’s team on an Instagram post.

 

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It’s with a sore heart that we type this post. It’s with a sore heart that we get up in the morning and come to work. It’s with a sore heart that we look at our friends and family mourning, womxn and children of which some of us have never even met. Our hearts are broken for all the womxn and children in this country that has been made to feel like less, like nothing. As a business that is owned by womxn and staffed by 80% womxn, our hearts are broken and we are angry. Angry for all of the angels who will not see tomorrow because a man thought of her so little, he took her light away. To all those that survived, that are living with this trigger, we send you love. To those who lost someone they loved, we send you light. To those are struggling to keep their light, we send you strength. We do not tolerate this. We do not stand for this. We want to take this opportunity to say: If you are ever walking in the street close to us and you feel unsafe, just come inside. You don’t need to buy anything. If you are here and you need to walk to your car alone, ask us to walk with you to make sure you are safe. If you are ever in our space and you don’t feel safe, please tell us. We are tired, but we are strong. And we will fight. ✊?❤️ #AmINext #EnoughIsEnough

A post shared by The Raptor Room (@theraptorroom) on Sep 4, 2019 at 12:17am PDT

Mere hours later, eateries La Mouette and Upper Bloem Restaurant joined in, and have urged other businesses to do the same.

“It is a tough time for our beloved Cape Town this week. There are no words left, only the actions that define us,” they said via social media. “Both La Mouette and Upper Bloem Restaurant want to follow The Raptor Room’s example and initiate a #comein policy. If you are in our area in Sea Point or Green Point and you feel in any way unsafe, please COME IN – we will wait with you for your Uber, taxi or friends or one of us will walk with you to your car if needs be.”

According to the restaurants, enough is enough.

“We request other business owners to follow suit and join #comein – let’s make Cape Town safer for all to enjoy our beautiful city and surrounds.”

Picture: Pixabay