What does trust have to do with it?

The SAFE Bar Network is built on the idea that culture change is possible. We believe that when we engage bar and restaurant staff in conversations about sexual violence, active bystander skills, and supporting each other, we’ll help to shift workplace cultures. We’ve seen it work. We’re successful when we focus on our core values.

We build trust. We show respect. We model accountability. We facilitate connection. We give support.

One of the quickest ways to lose someone’s trust is to shut them down. To tell them they are wrong or discount their experience. This may seem obvious but when a comment comes out of left field the easier thing to do is actually to brush it aside, to stay on topic, to move on. There is no quicker way to shut down a conversation and cut off people’s opportunities to learn.

We build trust. The work of culture change is difficult and requires vulnerability. It can’t be done without trust. When we ask people to take a hard look at the problems they are seeing and explore solutions, we are asking them to be vulnerable with us and with each other. This is hard for any of us.

Over the years we’ve practiced and taken pride in building trust. And we’ve been successful when we’re consistent, communicate often, and we’re willing to learn. We start every SAFE Bar Training with a genuine curiosity about the concerning behaviors that staff are seeing and the solutions that they think will work best.

To learn more about joining the SAFE Bar Network contact us at safebarnetwork@gmail.com

If you have a favorite bar, restaurant or night club encourage them to join the SAFE Bar Network. They can learn more at www.safebarnetwork.org

To learn more about active bystander skills check out our blog post, Obstacles. What obstacles? 3 Full Proof Everyday Active Bystander Skills.

There are everyday active bystanders practicing these skills every day. Watch their stories here, Everyday Active Bystanders.

Interested in learning more about bystander intervention? Visit our friends at With Us Center for Bystander Intervention.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault our partners can help. Visit MOCSA.org and RAINN.org

To learn more about the field of sexual violence response and prevention visit PreventConnect.org and NSVRC.org