‘Training a must to cut sex attacks’
Sexual assault prevention training is being mooted as a mandatory part of alcohol licensing regulation for Wellington bar and venue staff.
While training is being welcomed, the idea of a council-led, compulsory course has gone down like a warm beer.
Councillor Fleur Fitzsimons, who holds the safety portfolio, is working with police, Sexual Abuse Prevention Network, the hospitality industry and council-owned venues to try to eliminate sexual violence.
Creating a safe city included the council taking steps, and she was looking into legal and policy settings in alcohol licensing, to see what powers the council had.
‘‘I am keen to look at alcohol regulation. It is the most commonly used drug to facilitate sexual violence.’’
Recent events at the Basin Reserve and Homegrown music festival were just the tip of the iceberg and showed that the council had to get better at alcohol regulation to stop sexual violence, she said.
The council ‘‘must’’ look at alcohol licensing and the conditions it places on the operation of public venues and events, she said.
Although no council funding has been pegged for her proposal, Fitzsimons said it had been accepted as part of the council’s draft long-term plan.
Nick Mills, whose family owns several bars including Siglo, Public and Spruce Goose, said he would be fully behind anything that made the city safer.
However, he was critical of the ‘‘ineffective and inefficient’’ council getting involved.
‘‘There is a better chance of success if it is pushed by the industry and the police.’’
Detective Sergeant Ben Quinn, from the Wellington adult sexual assault team, said formal training in awareness, prevention and dealing with reports of sexual offending at the city’s nightspots was being considered. Training would include what to do before, during, and after incidents and techniques for security and bar staff when dealing with a potential offender and/or victim.
Sexual Abuse Prevention Network general manager Fiona McNamara said it had offered optional courses for hospitality staff since 2009 and feedback showed it worked.
There were about 186,000 sexual violence offences each year in New Zealand and 50 per cent involved alcohol.
Hospitality New Zealand Wellington president Jeremy Smith said the industry would encourage training but the compulsory element would be unnecessary.