Feasibility and Acceptability of a Bar-Staff Bystander Intervention Training Program for Reducing Sexual Aggression

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Science
• Intervention Studies

Background:

• Sexual aggression in nightlife settings remains a significant public health concern.
• Bystander intervention training is a promising strategy to mitigate such behaviors.
• The Safer Bars program aims to equip bar staff with skills to prevent sexual aggression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of implementing the Safer Bars program in bars.
• To identify challenges and successes during program implementation.
• To gather insights for upscaling the Safer Bars initiative.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed.
• Feasibility was assessed through bar participation rates and recruitment timelines.
• Acceptability was measured via post-training surveys with bar staff (N=220) and owners/managers (N=22).

Main Results:

• Bar enrollment faced challenges due to time and financial constraints.
• The Safer Bars program demonstrated high acceptability among participating bar staff and owners.
• Participants reported increased confidence in using bystander intervention skills.

Conclusions:

• The Safer Bars program is highly acceptable to bar staff and management, suggesting potential for reducing sexual aggression.
• Feasibility challenges, including those exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, need innovative solutions for wider implementation.
• Future efforts should address industry-specific barriers to enhance program scalability in alcohol-serving environments.