WPBN: The first of the year will see the implementation of a new rule that mandates bartenders and servers to undertake specific training in order to recognize the indicators of sexual assault and sex trafficking respectively.
Legislators proposed this legislation with the intention of addressing and reducing the number of instances of sexual assault and drink spiking, with the ultimate goal of making establishments like bars and restaurants safer places to be.
There has been a positive response to the new requirement, which highlights the role it plays in addressing the considerable connection that exists between the consumption of alcohol and instances of sexual assault.
According to Natalie Dijon, who is a frequent patron of pubs on Broadway, she feels safe in venues that have security guards and conduct stringent identification checks. On the other hand, safety guarantees are not always present.
During her presentation, Lorraine McGuire, an expert from the Sexual Assault Center (SAC), brought attention to the significant part that alcohol plays in cases involving sexual assault.
She made the observation that alcohol is involved in fifty percent of all cases of sexual assault, and that the perpetrator or the victim may have drank alcohol. She went on to describe alcohol as the drug that is most frequently utilized in date rape.
Through participation in the training program, bartenders and servers will be provided with the knowledge and tools necessary to recognize and respond appropriately to potential dangers.
McGuire added that the training focuses on the connection between drinking alcohol and sexual assault, and that it also educates participants on substances that are typically used in date rape. Her emphasis was placed on the significance of this comprehension in terms of recognizing potential dangers and avoiding injury.
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Through its “Safe Bar” program, the Sexual Assault Center has been providing training that is comparable to this approach for the past six years. McGuire admitted that there are practical obstacles involved in contacting each and every bar, despite the fact that this program has touched a large number of locations.
According to her, the new legislation includes provisions that guarantee that all bartenders and servers would obtain this essential training, thereby greatly broadening its scope of use.
Furthermore, she mentioned that the partnership between the Sexual Assault Center and the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission was crucial in shaping both the content and the organization of the program.
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It is needed that the training last for at least three and a half hours, and it must cover critical issues such as the role that alcohol plays in sexual assault and harassment, strategies to safeguard the safety of patrons, and procedures for successful bystander intervention.
Due to the implementation of this program, bartenders and servers are given the authority to serve as the initial line of defense against sexual assault and sex trafficking at places that serve alcoholic beverages.
The regulation intends to make nightlife environments safer by providing personnel in the hospitality industry with the knowledge necessary to identify warning indications and to take preventative steps.
In the event that the law is put into effect, it is anticipated that it will serve as a model for other states to establish measures that are comparable. As a result of the requirement of this training, it is hoped that Tennessee would enjoy a decrease in the number of sexual assaults that are related to alcohol and will also create safer experiences for customers.
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Advocates, such as the Sexual Assault Center, encourage individuals to maintain vigilance and report behavior that appears to be suspicious in order to strengthen the existing collective effort to combat sexual assault and trafficking among individuals.
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