Gem City Safe Bars

Staff at local bars, restaurants and clubs are empowered to stand up against sexual harassment and assault when they learn innovative bystander intervention strategies through Gem City Safe Bars. This YWCA Dayton program is led by prevention education staff from our Rape Crisis Center.

An American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, according to our partner RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. An estimated 50% of those assaults involve alcohol in some way – often as an excuse or camouflage for the aggressor, or as a weapon used to incapacitate a target.

However, the environment around an aggressor ultimately determines their behavior. The goal of the Safe Bars program is to equip Dayton’s hospitality workers with the knowledge, skills, and experience to create safer environments for their patrons and each other – environments where sexual violence isn’t tolerated.

Our 2.5 hour curriculum comes from the national SafeBars.org initiative. The program is designed by hospitality staff for hospitality staff. It combines the latest research and evidence-based education strategies to help participants identify, intervene, and respond to sexual harassment and assault.

Establishments who complete the training receive a 1-year certificate, access to our resources and re-trainings, and a window decal that shows the community that the staff are committed to ending sexual violence.

Here’s what participants have had to say so far:

• “Definitely comforting as a woman who constantly deals with these situations from both a bystander and target standpoint.”
• “Opening up this conversation is so important.”
• “Very informative and easy to understand.”
• “I appreciate having the chance to practice the 3 D’s (Direct, Distract, and Delegate). It made me feel a lot more prepared to speak up!”

Interested in receiving Gem City Safe Bars training? Register below!

If you have any questions, or would like to speak with our prevention staff, contact us at safebars@ywcadayton.org.