Peggy Sattler MPP, London West

As the London-Middlesex region’s sexual assault centre, Anova is strongly endorsing the Safe Night Out Act.

The actions outlined within the Act speak to what Anova is seeing and hearing in our community. Reports of sexual violence are rising, and women, girls, trans and gender-diverse people need support to be safer in their community.

We hope that Queens Park listens and understands when we say that not only is this type of legislation important, but that Ontario deserves this kind of thoughtful, trauma and violence informed action.

 - Jessie Rodger, Executive Director, Anova

Peggy Sattler continues to demonstrate her strong commitment to preventing and responding to gender-based violence, this time with her Safe Night Out Act. If passed the new legislation will not only provide bartenders, servers and their managers tools to recognize the signs of sexual harassment and assault and to intervene in an appropriate manner, it will provide much needed protection to workers through amendments to the Occupational Health and Safely Act. This is exemplary leadership to address one of the most nefarious problems facing our society.

- Barb MacQuarrie at the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children at Western University

We are so pleased to see that MPP Sattler and her team have created this important and comprehensive bill. Not only does it include crucial industry training requirements, but also much-needed workplace safety guidelines. This bill was created with safety in mind and it will pave the way for creating and fostering a more empathetic, aware, and skilled society in both recognizing and dealing with potentially dangerous circumstances.

By requiring all employers to take approved training on workplace sexual harassment and ensuring that every person in the workplace receives approved training as well, this bill increases accountability and responsibility for creating safer drinking environments in our community.   The Gender Equality Coalition of Ontario fully endorses and supports the Safe Night Out Act because we believe we should all be proactive as a community to prevent gendered violence. 

(This is an excerpt. Read the Gender Equality Commission of Ontario's full statement here.)

The evidence is clear that gender-based sexual violence is ubiquitous in drinking venues. Unlike other crimes, prevention of sexual violence has been historically the responsibility of the victim – potential victims, usually women (but increasingly 2SLGBTQ+ individuals), are told that they shouldn’t drink too much, shouldn’t dress or act a certain way, and that they should generally limit their freedoms to avoid being the targets of sexual violence. The time is long past overdue for the responsibility for preventing violence to be placed on perpetrators, complicit bystanders, and the social contexts, such as drinking venues, that encourage or tolerate sexual harassment and violence. This bill is an important step in that direction.

The Safe Night Out Act will work as a prevention tool to help curb violence against women and girls.  The changes being proposed for the Liquor License and Control Act along with the Occupational Health and Safety Act will make environments safer over all and will ensure that proper policies are in place to take all reasonable measures to protect staff and patrons, mostly women and girls. The London Abused Women’s Centre supports the Safe Night Out Act, it is time to work together toward prevention instead of always coming together as a reaction

– Jennifer Dunn, Executive Director, London Abused Women’s

The London Coordinating Committee to End Woman Abuse, a collective of organizations in the London area that deliver services to engage men who perpetrate violence and to women, girls and their families who experience violence against women and gender-based violence, endorses the Safe Night Out Act.

In 2022 London-Middlesex saw an increase in reported incidents of sexual violence and over 24,000 members of our community accessed counselling for sexual violence, domestic violence and human trafficking combined. Our community deserves better, and legislation like the Safe Night Out Act work towards creating more safety.

As this Act moves forward, we call on members of provincial parliament to consider the importance of this work and the need that our provinces continue to demonstrate when it comes to addressing the sky rocketing rates of sexual violence we are experiencing.

- Jennifer Dunn & Jessie Rodger, Co-Chairs, London Coordinating Committee to End Woman Abuse (LCCEWA)

We believe that everyone has a role in preventing sexual violence. Businesses and people who serve alcohol have a role. Opportunities to intervene in potentially violent situations – and to support those most at-risk of sexual violence – exist, and we can support people in our communities to know what to do…  

Over the last few decades, much progress has been made in creating practices to prevent sexual violence and to remind survivors of their rights. Businesses and people who serve alcohol have been – and can be – an integral part of this. Intentional prevention education and training will support people working in this sector to respond to sexual violence with greater confidence. 

Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres OCRCC supports “Safe Night Out” Bill. 

(This is an excerpt. Read the OCRCC's full statement here.)

Students deserve to have a post-secondary experience that is fulfilling, fun, and memorable for the right reasons - not wrought with fear for their safety and wellbeing. Students have expressed to us the extreme frustration they feel due to a lack of accountability and responses in addressing sexual violence. It is our hope that the Safe Night Out Act gains support from the Legislature and takes us one step further to creating a culture that proactively stands against sexual violence and harassment.

(Watch my press conference with OUSA here.)

This bill sends a resounding message that sexual violence and harassment will not be tolerated. It empowers establishments, employees, and patrons alike to prioritize safety and respect. We wholeheartedly endorse the Safe Night Out Act, 2023, recognizing its pivotal role in promoting appropriate responses, mandatory evidence-based training, and creating shared responsibility among all stakeholders. We are dedicated to championing this critical legislation, as it will contribute to the creation of safer environments for all. 

(Watch my press conference with WomanACT here.)