Ontario Will Spend $1.7 Million So Restaurants Can Do Something About Sexual Harassment

Well, this is a progressive move for the service industry.

Ontario will spend $1.7 million over three years to train bartenders and servers to identify and intervene in instances of sexual violence and harassment – among both employees and customers.

The training programs will be designed and delivered by organizations in the hospitality sector as well as experts in violence prevention, according to Women’s Issues Minister Tracy MacCharles.

Restaurant and bar managers, operators, and owners will also receive the training.

The training will teach how to intervene in incidences of sexual violence and harassment in a safe way.

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According to MacCharles, the majority of the 450,000 servers and waiters in Ontario are young women, and – alarmingly – not all of them know what sexual violence and harassment look like.

As The Canadian Press reports, Labour Minister Kevin Flynn says the range of possible responses to sexual harassment is very large, and the training programs will “empower” people to know how to effectively deal with each individual situation.

The regulations would require employers to have a policy that makes it clear who would investigate if an alleged harasser is the owner or supervisor, and they must provide written results of any investigation.

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In environments where booze flows freely, inhibitions are lost, waitresses are often sexualized, and the bar is a breeding ground for romantic connections, this move couldn’t be more necessary.

The new regulations take effect Thursday.

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