S.A.F.E. Center, Courtesy
KEARNEY — The S.A.F.E. Center is excited to announce an alliance with Safe Bars.
The Safe Bars program empowers hospitality staff to stop sexual aggression and other forms of gender-based violence by teaching active bystander skills, so they know how to intervene safely and effectively. Safe Bars is a non-profit organization based out of Maryland with more than 30 chapters across the United States and Canada, which now includes Kearney. Safe Bars helps alcohol-serving spaces create safe, welcoming, and respectful environments for their patrons and staff.
The core of Safe Bars training is to teach hospitality staff to pick up on problems and take action. If staff encounter problematic behavior, it is within their power and responsibility to do something about it. It creates a safer environment for staff and patrons. At least half of all sexual assaults involve alcohol, thus making alcohol-serving spaces and the hospitality industry a critical platform to address sexual violence. The S.A.F.E. Center is committed to crafting safe spaces in our community to help prevent violence.
Veronica Holguin, Prevention Coordinator of The S.A.F.E. Center, explains, “The bystander approach, which is the foundation of this training, allows individuals to pick strategies that will help them feel confident to respond effectively in any situation. We hope individuals feel empowered to know they can make a difference by helping someone.”
NVY Bar and Cigar Lounge located in Kearney has become the first business to become part of the local Safe Bars community. The Safe Bars team presented training in December. The staff at NVY is not only committed to crafting specialty cocktails, but also creating a safe and inviting environment for all to enjoy.
General Manager of NVY Bar and Cigar Lounge, Nicole Vasquez, shares, “At NVY Bar & Cigar Lounge, we take pride in becoming the inaugural participant in the Safe Bars program. This initiative provides our staff with essential tools for active bystander intervention to ensure safety, not only for our team, but also for our valued guests.”
The S.A.F.E. Center is hosting SipSmart Social: A Safe Bars Gathering on Thursday, March 21, 2024, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at The Other Side in Kearney. Bar owners and managers are invited to come and learn more about the program. Light refreshments will be provided. Registration is encouraged, but not required. To register, visit our website at www.safecenter.org or call The S.A.F.E. Center toll free at 877-237-2513.
About The S.A.F.E. Center
The S.A.F.E. Center is a non-profit organization in Kearney, Nebraska that provides free and confidential support and resources to empower those affected by dating violence, domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, and stalking while engaging communities through awareness and prevention education in our five-county service area.
