NIGHTCLUBS are increasingly hiring women as “door security” staff instead of male bouncers in order to tackle an epidemic of female violence at city centre entertainment venues, writes Lois Rogers.

A new study has found that in some areas attacks by drunken women are now almost as common as men fighting. In addition, increasing numbers of women are dealing drugs in clubs or going into venues armed with knives or other weapons.

According to Kate O’Brien, a Durham University sociology lecturer, fighting between drunk women can be particularly vicious because they attempt to inflict disfiguring injuries. The British Journal of Sociology is to publish the results of O’Brien’s undercover research when she worked as a security guard in clubs in six cities.

“There is usually a longer verbal build-up with women and often a lot of alcohol involved,” said O’Brien, who is being funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. “But women can do just as much damage to each other and it is not restricted to downmarket venues; it goes across the board.”

Clubs are concerned that it is not always appropriate for male bouncers to deal with drunk or troublesome female clients. “You get situations with distressed girls who have had a few too many drinks having altercations, and it’s important to have female staff to deal with it,” said Jeremy Hartley of Chinawhite, a club in London’s West End. “Up to 30% of our security teams are women.”

Lisa Jackson, manager of the Babylon club in Bath, said some male security staff are wary about physically handling female customers. In the past two to three years the number of females employed in clubs has risen to one in three in some venues. Nationally, the proportion of women bouncers has risen from 2% to 11%, according to the Security Industry Authority.

“The tattooed menacing bouncer of the 1980s has vanished,” said John Saunders, the authority’s chief executive. “Women are far more likely to be a source of trouble than they ever were in the past and it takes other women to understand them.”

Vivian Hagan-Morgan, 26, a former world kick-boxing champion from Liverpool, has done door security work since she was 16.

She said most clubs recognise the benefits of women’s superior non-confrontational approach. “You do get a lot of violent punters. I had to ask a man to stop smoking in a non-smoking area and he tried to push me. I was able to remove him without trouble and there was no follow-up because I think he was so embarrassed,” she said.

“I have certainly had insults rained on me by women. One tried to pull my hair once, but because of my training I was able to stop her.”

Additional reporting: Tom Baird

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