Clever but polite ways to deflect unwanted male attention....are there any?

[DancingDogDairy]

We were working on our booth yesterday, and it seemed like everyone we met warned us that my daughters needed to be prepared for unwanted male attention. A neighbor even suggested painting "jail bait" across their foreheads.

Are there some polite come backs I can have them memorize when someone gets too friendly with them?

Hopefully it won't even be an issue, but I'd really hate to get trouble because my sweet little home schooled teenager beat the $&@??! out of a drunk patron.

It would be much better to talk about it now and prepare them with a couple of options rather than leaving them to their own devices.

Thanks!

[Rani Zemirah]

I don't see any problem at all with hanging a small(ish) sign on them saying...

UNDERAGE!!!
Dungeon Bait!!!

.. or something similar, in a very noticeable area.  That, along with some humorous comebacks like "the Royal Guard will be here shortly to escort you to your cell", while pointing to the sign hanging round her neck, or attached to her belt, should be enough of a deterrent... one would hope! 

[DancingDogDairy]

That is a great idea.

[Auryn]

I like the sign idea
the only thing I worry about is that I've seen drunk men take the jail bait signs as an invitation to be belligerent.
I would maybe have a quick conversation with the head of security about what his experiences are with their patrons and.

Personally I would have no problem with my daughter (if I had one) *&#@* slapping the crap out of someone who decided to get fresh with them by trying to touch.

I would definitely talk to your daughters about maybe having them try to laugh it off and ignore the person,
I like Rani's line

"the Royal Guard will be here shortly to escort you to your cell",

but I would also give them the self preservation permission to do physically defend themselves if someone touches them.

but thats just me.

[Rani Zemirah]

Oh, I would most DEFINITELY give them the go-ahead to defend themselves, no matter what!!!  If someone lays a hand on them, then all attempts at politely defusing the situation go right out the window!!! 

[Mairte]

I absolutely agree.

[Ms Trish]

I saw the "dungeon bait" pin too and also worried it wasn't clear enough and might be seen as an invitation. I did grab the vendors card and will probably order a plain and simple "Under 18" pin for my daughter to wear. She's usually escorted by someone on the grounds and wouldn't have to handle anything on her own.

[DonaCatalina]

If they are working in your booth and you want to be funny you could come up with something about them protesting a violation of the child labor laws.
That is if they would go for it.

[Adriana Rose]

I watch the male patrons and if they have that look I try to scoot them on their way. I am a tad mother henish with my girls so I try to divert that kind of thing. Being next to a pub that is rahter hard some times because pretty Garland Girls are like honey to a drunk bee it seems.

But sometimes my girls do flirt and some times they flirt into hot water, I am tempted to make a beauty pagent style sash that says Dungeon Bait and make them wear it when the younger ones flirt too much.

Lord knows that I have gotten into hot water to the point some guy tried to grab my bodice, I had a spray bottle on my belt and I sprayed him in the face to get my point across.


My advise is to watch the crowd. If some cant get the point I always say " My lord I never have and never will run THAT sort of house." Because management tends to frown on a merchant punching a patron.

[Rowan MacD]

  The sign is great and it works!  Milord Clisto has a picture of a certain pickle sellers comely daughter with a roughly made leather sign tied around her waist so it rests on her butt, that way patrons checking her out as she walks by read: "Hands off-she's only 13"
 Picture here:
   http://www.sirclisto.com/desmoines/we3.html

[will paisley]

I like the sign idea
the only thing I worry about is that I've seen drunk men take the jail bait signs as an invitation to be belligerent.

I had a conversation with a girl working in a vendor's booth at PARF about her "Dungeon Bait" pin and asked if it worked. She said it worked part of the time, and that it worked as an advertisement the rest of the time to men who are attracted to that sort of thing. Regardless of what any pin says, I'd think the best protection would be a visible adult presence nearby at all times.

[Adriana Rose]

Strangely it works having a man around for that matter. I have had at least one guy working for me for the past oh 3 years and the amount of creepers was tolerable, then this year none of my guys came back and we had quite a few pet drunks and the really creepy slobbery kind of guys. Despite my attempts to scoot them along they kept coming back, then if one of my guy friends stopped by for a chat they were on their way. Its rather funny really.

Back to the topic at hand if there is a problem get a brute squad so to speak and have a man hang out be it to be a runner or a helper the creepiness may leave your girls alone.

[ravic]

You are on Mockingbird Lane, right? Make friends with your close-by neighbors. There are some intimidatingly large guys around there. & some equally intimidating mama bears too.

[BubbleWright]

Does your Faire have a safe word? At PARF if one yells out CONSTABLE !! help comes a running. Perhaps a sign that says Touch me and I'll yell (Safe word)! Of course this will only work if the drunken louts know about the safe word and how it works.

[Rani Zemirah]

Sign that says:

UNDERAGE!!!
Go Directly to JAIL!!!