Visits to a haunted house can be both thrilling and terrifying for visitors; some customers may fear being touched by actors inside.
Haunted houses use electricity extensively to illuminate rooms and create special effects, potentially leading to injury for employees working within them.
Actors are not allowed to touch you
Haunted houses and actors are designed to scare you, not harm you. Professional haunted houses generally enforce rules against touching patrons to ensure safety and prevent accidents; touching can be dangerous both for actors and customers, potentially leading to injuries and lawsuits for both. Furthermore, some people have physical boundaries or sensitivities which make contact uncomfortable even in simulated frightening environments such as haunted houses.
Collia, an expert scare actor, notes the need to be mindful of guests’ needs and sensitivities when visiting houses for scare events. She suggests staying together as a group when touring houses so everyone has equal chances at being scared by actors in costume; flash lights should not be used either as this would ruin the effect the actors are trying to create.
Not only does the no-touching rule promote guest safety, it also serves to protect a business from liability issues. If an actor accidentally hits or touches someone in an inappropriate place, this may constitute assault or harassment and disorderly conduct charges may lead to fines as well as impact future employment opportunities for that actor.
Actors are not allowed to grab you
Cortney Collia, who works at Kalamazoo haunted house, noted it’s common for guests to touch or hurt actors who are playing roles while in character – be it out of fear or another source. These incidents are upsetting.
Professional haunted houses usually implement no-touch policies to safeguard both visitors and actors alike, and to reduce legal liabilities due to any unintended actions which might be seen as sexual harassment or assault.
To reduce accidental touching, make sure to wear dark clothing and shoes that fit securely – as leaving the group could prove hazardous in rooms filled with fog.
When encountering actors that are acting inappropriately or rude, do not hesitate to tell them they need to stop. Harassment could get you kicked out of the attraction; report this incident directly. Also keep in mind that leaving without permission could put others at risk, particularly those under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Actors are not allowed to push you
Though touching an actor within a haunted house might seem like fun, touching someone could constitute harassment, disorderly conduct or assault and can result in injuries to visitors as well as lawsuits – which is why most haunted houses enforce no-touching policies.
Some haunted houses take it a step further by requiring guests to sign a waiver that protects both actors and the business from legal liabilities.
Some haunted houses allow actors to grab and touch visitors if they can demonstrate it was for self-defense or as part of the attraction. If someone grabs you unexpectedly, remember to try breaking free as soon as possible and stay close to friends so that if someone unexpectedly comes at you from behind them.
Actors are not allowed to hit you
Haunted house actors must strike a delicate balance between frightening and legal. Going too far can result in assault and disorderly conduct charges that carry fines, license suspension or even jail time for actors who take it too far. Furthermore, visitors under the influence of drugs or alcohol must not be touched at any point by an actor – Collia says she has had to escort out customers when their behavior becomes dangerous due to fear or alcohol consumption.
She explains that customers may become so scared they accidentally hit or touch the actors, however this should never happen as this would ruin everyone’s experience. Actors try not to scare people this way as this would ruin it all for everyone involved.
Avoid actors by moving at a rapid pace and wearing clothing that blends in with the dark surroundings; this will allow less time for actors to create scares for you. If an accident does happen and someone bumps into you accidentally, always apologize immediately and apologize to both actors involved.
