Safer Drinking Spaces Study

NCT07527988 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: U01CE0037551U01CE003755-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 3,180
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to evaluate the active bystander training provided by Safe Bars, Inc. and their local chapter organizations to staff at alcohol-serving establishments (e.g., bars). The training aims to improve norms about violence, create safer environments by teaching staff to intervene in potentially harmful situations, and help prevent sexual violence in the venue community. The study will examine the implementation and effectiveness of the training. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. 1.Do staff and patrons at venues that have received Safe Bars training experience lower rates of sexual violence at the venue than staff and patrons at venues that have not received the training?
2. 2.Are staff at venues that have received Safe Bars training more likely to intervene in potentially risky situations than staff at venues that have not received the training?
3. 3.What characteristics of venue environments and staff and patron beliefs and perceptions are responsible for effects of the training on sexual violence and bystander behavior outcomes?
4. 4.What characteristics and conditions are necessary for effective Safe Bars implementation and improved staff and patron outcomes?

Conditions

Sexual Violence; Bystander Intervention

Keywords

alcohol-serving venues; community-level evaluation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Sexual assault victimization among patrons

  Endorsement (yes) to any of 5 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue

  Baseline to 12 months

• Sexual harassment victimization among patrons

  Endorsement (yes) of any of 8 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue

  Baseline to 12 months

• Sexual assault victimization among staff

  Endorsement (yes) to any of 5 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue

  Baseline to 12 months

• Sexual harassment victimization among staff

  Endorsement (yes) of any of 8 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue

  Baseline to 12 months

• Staff bystander behavior

  Proportion of opportunities (out of 17 possible) in which staff reported that they intervened in a risky situation

  Baseline to 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Staff acceptance of sexual violence

  Baseline to 6 months

• Staff self-efficacy to intervene

  Baseline to 6 months

• Staff perceived safety of the venue

  Baseline to 6 months

• Patron perceived safety of the venue

  Baseline to 6 months

• Patron witnessing venue staff intervention

  Baseline to 6 months

Study Arms (2)

Safe Bars Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Venues assigned to this arm will receive the Safe Bars active bystander training for their staff after baseline data collection for the study.

Behavioral: Safe Bars active bystander training

Wait-List Control

OTHER

Venues assigned to this arm will be offered the Safe Bars active bystander training for their staff after the 6-month follow-up data collection for the study. They will not receive an intervention during the first 6 months of the study.

Behavioral: Safe Bars active bystander training

Interventions

Safe Bars active bystander training BEHAVIORAL

Safe Bars, Inc. (SBI)'s active bystander training is a primary prevention approach with three main components designed to (1) educate venue staff about the associations between alcohol and SV, (2) build bystander intervention skills and self-efficacy among venue staff, and (3) generate venue-level solutions to SV prevention. The 2.5-hour initial training combines didactic teaching with group brainstorming and practice-based role plays to teach staff actions they can take in response to risky scenarios observed in venue settings. Beyond increasing staff knowledge and skill, the training is also designed to spur venues' plans to support long-term culture change that reflects their local context and needs. After the initial training, SBI maintains a regular schedule of follow-up with trained venues to offer implementation support and access to SBI's other trainings in de-escalation and allyship.

Safe Bars Training; Wait-List Control

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• At least 18 years old
• Able to read and speak English
• Employee or patron of participating venues

You may not qualify if:

• Has any condition that, in the opinion of the PI or their designee, would preclude informed consent, make study participation unsafe, complicate interpretation of study outcome data, or otherwise interfere with achieving the study objectives.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• RTI International: lead
• University of Florida: collaborator
• Georgia State University: collaborator
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: collaborator

Study Sites (3)

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, 32611, United States

Location

Georgia State University

Atlanta, Georgia, 30302, United States

Location

RTI International

Durham, North Carolina, 27713, United States

Location

Central Study Contacts

Marni Kan

CONTACT

919-485-2756; mkan@rti.org

Nichole Scaglione

CONTACT

(352) 294-0548; nscaglione@ufl.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior Research Public Health Analyst 1

Model Details: The study will use a matched-pair randomization approach in which venues will be recruited in pairs, matched by location, type (e.g., bar, nightclub, brewery), and size, and then randomized (1:1) to intervention or wait-list control. Intervention venues will be offered Safe Bars training after baseline data collection; wait-list control venues will be offered Safe Bars training after the 6-month follow-up data collection.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 7, 2026
• First Posted: April 14, 2026
• Study Start: May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2028
• Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

US (3)