'The team now is empowered.' How bystander intervention training is helping bartenders spot sexual assault

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Socializing is a big part of the St Patrick's Day holiday, and bars are a popular destination.

We know having a good, safe time is important to you, so we are sharing how bystander intervention training is helping bartenders have your back.

Jason Sorbet runs one of Nashville's newest neighborhood bars. He is the managing partner at Barrel Proof in Germantown on 4th Avenue North.

After 10 years in the food and drink business, he knows what to expect on St. Patrick's Day.

"We expect a lot of over-consumption, [but] we really expect people to come out with intent to have a good time, which I think is pretty healthy for going out and celebrating things," said Jason Sorbet.

Barrel Proof opened in December. Already, everyone behind the bar is Safe Bar trained. That means the Sexual Assault Center trained staff to be on the look out for sexual harassment and showed them how to stop it from progressing to violence.

"The team now is empowered that if they hear something that's inappropriate or threatening to a guest they have my full trust, they can intervene, talk to those guys tell them we have a zero tolerance policy for those things," Sorbet said.

While alcohol doesn't cause sexual assault, about half of all sexual assaults involve alcohol.

The requirement for being considered a Safe Bar is that at least 50% of staff must participate and be trained with the program. The Sexual Assault Center then gives the business the Safe Bar materials, such as drug-detecting coasters, a binder of information and resources for staff members to utilize when someone is in need of help, as well as posters with a hotline number. Safe Bar window clings are also available to signal to the public and to potential patrons that the establishment has been trained to act if problems arise.

Places that serve alcohol that want to take the 1.5 - 2 hour training should reach out to the Sexual Assault Center.