RICHMOND, Va. — A Richmond nonprofit is asking for support to train restaurant and bar staff on how to spot instances of sexual harassment and violence.
Kailie Smith is the founder of Safe Bars RVA. She organized the group while she worked at the West Broad Street eatery, Don’t Look Back.
Smith sought to educate and arm her coworkers with the knowledge on how to spot sexual harassment, and then how to appropriately respond to those instances.
“We go out and we do two-and-a-half-hour training sessions at bars, and we teach them what does it looks like when people are uncomfortable. How do you respond to it? It can be really uncomfortable to respond to,” she explained.
The nonprofit's main goal is to reduce instances of sexual assault and sexual violence in bars, restaurants and venues. The smaller goal is to kind of empower people to make their workplaces safer.
“Anyone who's ever worked in a bar or even been to a bar has probably seen how pervasive sexual harassment and sexual violence is. Whether it's a creepy manager or just a patron who doesn't understand boundaries. They're fertile environments for harassment and violence. So, we just want to empower people to make their workplaces safer and make bars safer,” Smith stated.
She now works at Safe Harbor, a nonprofit that provides support to those who experienced or are experiencing domestic violence, sexual violence, or human trafficking.
Smith’s team includes bartenders, violence prevention professionals, and counselors who have completed the Safe Bars training.
They have trained nine restaurant staff, so far, with more trainings scheduled for the Fall. Smith is asking for funds to help expand their team and offer more venues training sessions for free.
