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MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Housekeepers at Miami Beach hotels will soon be armed with panic buttons to help combat sexual assault.
The city commission unanimously approved the safety measure Wednesday. It's set to go into effect Aug. 1, 2019.
Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez proposed the measure after she was sexually assaulted last year. She tells the Miami Herald it is about "changing inappropriate behavior in hospitality." She says the problem is mostly with men, adding that guests have "gotten away with this behavior for way too long."
Hotels and hostels will be required to provide all housekeeping attendants with a "safety" button. They can use the device if they believe there is an "ongoing crime, harassment, or other emergency."
Miami Beach will join Seattle and Chicago in mandating the devices in hotels.
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