NSW Government adds sexual harassment and violence | Australian Markets

In an Australian first, the Minns Labor Government has mandated all hospitality workers and liquor licence holders obtain specialised sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention coaching.

The coaching will allow hospitality workers to determine and reply to sexual harassment and sexual violence in licensed venues, is an element of an replace to the state’s Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) coaching program.

The extra coaching is an important step in serving to improve office security for hospitality workers throughout NSW.

RSA coaching is obligatory for anybody who sells, serves or provides alcohol in NSW. Certification is legitimate for 5 years and have to be renewed to stay present.

The new sexual harassment and sexual violence course materials was developed by Liquor & Gaming NSW in partnership with Good Night Out, an worldwide campaigning organisation targeted on gender-based violence prevention in night-time economies.

Approved coaching suppliers should now ship all RSA programs utilizing the up to date supplies.

This replace builds on final 12 months’s RSA coaching handbook revision, which included new steerage on drink spiking, and is an element of a broader strategy to improve each patron and office security within the hospitality industry.

The strengthened RSA module provides hospitality employees a clear understanding of the law, together with the variations between sexual harassment, sexual assault and drink spiking.

It explains how alcohol can have an effect on a particular person’s means to consent and the function coercion can play. The coaching reinforces that alcohol isn’t the trigger of sexual violence and is commonly used to excuse perpetrators and shift blame onto victims. Staff may also be skilled in how to reply when patrons disclose sexual harassment, sexual violence or suspected drink spiking, and how to attach them with acceptable help companies.

Licensee coaching has additionally been up to date to mirror employers’ obligations underneath the federal authorities’s Respect@Work laws, which requires companies to take proactive steps to forestall office sexual harassment, together with offering related training and coaching for all workers.

The licensee coaching now references office security necessities for prevention of sexual harassment along with steerage on patron security necessities.

These adjustments complement present initiatives akin to Think Safe to Drink Safe and Ask for Angela, reinforcing the NSW Government’s dedication to a safer, more inclusive night-time financial system.

Minister for Music and the Night-Time Economy John Graham stated:

“We need NSW to be the worldwide gold normal for reside music, nightlife and leisure. That solely occurs if our venues are secure, welcoming and respectful for everybody who walks by way of the door.

“The up to date RSA coaching course provides hospitality workers real-world instruments and steerage needed to step in, defuse hassle and help their patrons when it counts.

“One of the key priorities in the NSW Government’s 24-Hour Economy Strategy is safety for night-time workers and these changes are all about ensuring workers can look after their colleagues and customers.”

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris stated:

“Sexual harassment and sexual violence have no place in NSW and are fully unacceptable in our pubs, golf equipment, bars and eating places.

“That’s why it’s so important that RSA programs now embody coaching on how to forestall and reply to sexual harassment and violence and that this coaching is required to gain certification to serve or provide alcohol in NSW.

“These changes will give the more than 100,000 workers who complete a course each year the skills and confidence to recognise and respond to unacceptable behaviour and is a major step towards making venues safer for everyone.”

Minister for Work, Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis stated:

“Sexual violence and harassment have no place in any office or neighborhood.

“SafeWork NSW is dedicated to educating employers, imposing Work Health and Safety legal guidelines, and supporting respectful, secure workplaces throughout the state.

“With a devoted Respect at Work staff and the biggest investment in office mental health in NSW historical past, we’re strengthening protections and increasing specialist inspector roles to forestall psychosocial hurt and office sexual harassment.

“Every worker deserves to go to work and return home safely to their loved ones.”

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison stated:

“The NSW Government has a zero tolerance strategy in the direction of sexual violence and harassment, and we’re working to stop it earlier than it begins.

“We are implementing the primary devoted Primary Prevention Strategy in NSW to deal with the underlying and gendered drivers of violence in opposition to girls.

“It’s important for us to interact with people the place they reside, study, work, socialise and play, together with the hospitality sector.

“This training is one example of the work underway to change the beliefs and cultures that tolerate or condone violence.”

NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Hannah Tonkin stated:

“There needs to be no locations or areas the place girls in NSW really feel unsafe. Everyone ought to really feel assured that they’ll be secure after they’re socialising or working in a bar, membership, restaurant or pub.

“These changes to RSA training represent an important step in making these spaces safer and more respectful for women. Women will be reassured that staff in licensed venues across NSW will now receive enhanced RSA training, and that this will better equip staff to recognise and respond to unsafe or unacceptable behaviour.”

Full Stop CEO Karen Bevan stated:

“Full Stop Australia welcomes the addition of new and up to date sexual violence prevention and response content material within the Responsible Service of Alcohol framework. We had been happy to help the development of the content material.

“Sexual violence is widespread and prevalent throughout the neighborhood, and notably in nightlife settings.

“Ensuring hospitality staff are equipped to respond sensitively and safely to disclosures of sexual violence is a positive step towards improving outcomes for victim-survivors. Nights out should be fun and safe for everyone. This change is a step in the right direction to ensure the safety of all workers and patrons in NSW venues.”

Support: Anyone impacted by sexual violence can contact the NSW Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 on 1800 424 017.

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