Shout-Up!, an initiative aimed at making bars, pubs, clubs, and licensed venues free from sexual harassment, has now trained 210 staff across 18 venues in Torquay and Paignton.
The programme, funded by Torbay Council as part of its Safer Streets initiative, focuses on working with licensed premises to improve safety by training staff to intervene safely in incidents of sexual harassment. Research indicates that 90% of people would feel safer or happier in a bar, pub, or club where staff had received Shout-Up! training.
The latest venues to achieve certification are all part of South Devon’s East Street Pub Group. This group has certified all its venues in the Torquay and Paignton area, training 62 staff members.
The Harbour Inn, Queen Victoria, and The Hyde Dendy are the newest venues to receive certification, following VIVA, which was awarded the accolade earlier this year.
“We’re proud to be a Shout-Up! venue,” said Courtney Ross, manager at The Harbour Inn. “We believe there should be a safe space for all, free from uncomfortable conversations, situations, and discrimination.”
To become a certified Shout-Up! venue, premises must have all staff complete Bystander Intervention Training delivered by experts from Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services, write and share sexual harassment policies to protect staff and patrons, and have a publicly available procedure for dealing with incidents of sexual harassment. Additionally, they must commit to making their venue a sexual harassment-free zone, display visible signage explaining their participation in the scheme and what patrons can expect in the event of sexual harassment, and commit to six-monthly reviews on policies, procedures, and training to retain certification.
Councillor Hayley Tranter, Torbay Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, Public Health and Inequalities, said: “This certification reflects the group’s commitment to creating safe, inclusive environments for patrons, ensuring everyone can enjoy their time without fear of harassment. It’s great to see the team at East Street Pub Group embracing this initiative.
“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved with the Torbay Shout-Up! programme in such a short timeframe – over 200 staff members trained in just six months shows the commitment of our licence holders to make nights out better and safer. I congratulate everyone who has participated and achieved their certification.”
The Shout-Up! programme will continue in Torbay for the rest of 2024, and interested venues are invited to apply by visiting www.shoutup.org/torbay.
