Hospo guardian angel with your drink? Program targets sex assault rise
Bartenders and security staff in the CBD would undergo training to spot potential sexual violence under a push to tackle the alarming rise in reports of assault, drink spiking and harassment.
NSW
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Bartenders and security staff at venues across the Sydney CBD would undergo sexual violence training under plans to tackle the alarming rise in reports of assault, drink spiking and harassment plaguing the state’s night-life hub.
Leading sexual violence service, Full Stop Australia, has called on the Minns government to fund the Good Night Out’ training program for pubs, nightclubs and bars in the city in pre-budget submissions, following its success in Victoria and the United Kingdom.
It comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed one in four sexual offences in the past year happened inside a licensed venue in the Sydney CBD, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR).
Full Stop Australia chief executive Karen Bevan said hospitality staff in the city would be taught how to identify, prevent and stop sexual violence in their venues, with plans to extend the program across the state following a 42 per cent increase in sexual assault reports in NSW since 2019.
“We are calling on the NSW Government to resource a well-tested initiative that has proven successful both overseas and in Victoria in improving patron safety in Sydney’s CBD night-life,” Ms Bevan said.
“This program is about creating a safer, more enjoyable night-life for everyone and is a proven sexual violence prevention strategy.”
According to the submissions, Full Stop Australia has requested $250,000 worth of funding to operate the training and accreditation program in the Sydney CBD, which would include case-by-case internal policy reviews, support signs for patrons, and upskilling staff to create a “safety standard” across the city.
A further $4.7m has also been requested to develop a Sexual Violence Navigator Pilot Program to support victim-survivors through the justice system.
Both initiatives intend to tackle the rise of sexual violence in NSW while reducing the financial burden on support systems to alleviate costs elsewhere in the budget.
Macquarie University Ubar venue manager Ben Hunter, 29, urged the government to fund the program rollout after his team of more than 20 staff participated in Good Night Out last year.
“The staff found it very beneficial in the sense they were taught about the different types of harassment and drink spiking,” he said.
“Because they are often new to the workforce and this might be their first or second job, it gives them a lot more confidence to handle these situations.”
“Having [the program] be accessible to more people in NSW is only beneficial because information is power.”
While Sexual Assault Prevention Minister Jodie Harrison would not “pre-empt” the state budget, she said the government would consider the submissions along with feedback from victim-survivors.
“Sexual violence is unacceptable and the government is working hard to address it through a whole-of-community approach to both prevention and response,” she said.
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Originally published as Hospo guardian angel with your drink? Program targets sex assault rise
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