Victoria sponsors free online sexual harassment training for hospitality businesses

A new tool has been developed to help combat sexualized workplace harassment and violence in Victoria's hospitality industry.

Training in Prevention and Safety, or TIPS, is a free online training course created by the Ending Violence Association of B.C., and Good Night Out Vancouver (GNOV), with funding from the City of Victoria and Justice Canada.

"The initiative really started in Victoria, and there’s been a few incidences in Victoria that highlighted this and got the City of Victoria engaged," said Ninu Kang, executive director of the Ending Violence Association of B.C.

"Kudos to them for really stepping up and saying, you know, we want to have some training," she said.

The training program was developed in response to a 2019 motion passed by Victoria city council for sexualized violence prevention training for employers and staff of bars, restaurants, and hospitality organizations.

"This initiative is a step in the right direction to prevent sexualized violence in Victoria," said Victoria Coun. Jeremy Loveday.

"The work started in 2019 but was really elevated by the voices of survivors and hospitality industry leaders," he said. "Public safety begins with education, and we are grateful for the collaboration of GNO and EVA to develop this free training for the hospitality industry."

TARGETED INDUSTRIES

Workplace sexual harassment is a persistent and widespread problem, impacting two-in-five workers in B.C., according to the Ending Violence Association of B.C.

Restaurants and bars are the top two places where Canadians report unwanted sexual behavior, says the association.

There are two new training modules available. One module is for employers or managers, which focuses on their responsibilities and policy development.

The other is designed for employees, focusing on what behaviour crosses the line.

The free TIPS training website is shown.

Kang says some workplace cultures have been ingrained and overlooked for so long "that for some, that's just become a normal way of being."

"What this training does is it creates a heightened awareness of what the issues are – and it also gives tips about when you identify that or see that in your workplace, how can you support each other," she said.

The TIPS training tool is meant to be an additional resource aimed at helping employers develop policies and work to create a safe and healthy environment for their workers.

"So that you’re really creating a comradery between all that are working, so that everyone is invested in creating a safe work environment," said Kang.

For more information, or to register for training, you can visit the Ending Violence Association of B.C.'s website.