Marseille deploys mediators and emergency app against sexual harassment on beaches

Marseille – 19 July 2026: Summer at the beach should mean carefree enjoyment. Yet this is precisely where people may experience intimidating looks, remarks or assaults. Marseille is seeking to address these moments with more than mere appeals: specially trained mediators are once again deployed this summer on the city’s supervised beaches. Their work is complemented by the free emergency app SAFER PLAGE.

The service is aimed at people experiencing harassment or sexist or sexual violence, as well as those who witness an incident. An emergency button can trigger a report including the user’s location. According to the city, it is forwarded immediately to teams on site. The app can be used anonymously and is available until 30 August 2026.

The mediation teams are on duty every day in July and August. They approach beachgoers, provide information about boundaries and consent, and are intended to offer easily accessible help before a situation escalates. Their remit therefore goes beyond prevention alone: they are meant to listen, protect and support those affected with the next steps, without pressuring them into anything.

The programme covers the supervised beaches of Corbiere, Catalans, Prado Nord and Prado Sud, Borely, Bonneveine, Vieille Chapelle, Pointe Rouge and Frioul. QR codes at these locations point users to the app, among other things. Outside operating hours or in immediate danger, the city refers people to the police emergency number 17. The app does not replace the police or emergency services.

New for the 2026 season is a so-called beach respect meter. With 22 short questions, the tool is intended to help users assess a situation they have experienced and seek support if necessary. In doing so, the city builds on the familiar principle of guidance tools designed to make warning signs in relationships or public spaces visible.

SAFER PLAGE was initially tested at Prado Sud in August 2022 and was then gradually expanded. According to city hall, more than 200,000 people have since been made aware of sexist and sexual violence; the app has been downloaded around 4,000 times. In 2025, the mediation teams reportedly handled around 200 situations related to such violence or harassment.

These figures do not allow conclusions to be drawn about the overall scale of such incidents by the sea. But they show how important visible points of contact can be, especially in places where large numbers of people seek relaxation in close proximity. Marseille is relying on a principle that often proves decisive in everyday life: help must be accessible before discomfort turns into fear.