Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training is compulsory for all people selling, serving or supplying alcohol in NSW. Education spans signs of intoxication and how best to keep bar patrons within safe limits, how to refuse service, how to check IDs and how best to minimise alcohol-related harm. You need to complete an RSA training course every five years to maintain your certification. Now, following the addition of training related to drink-spiking, the NSW Government is considering bringing in sexual harassment training.

“A further update is now being considered to include advice on sexual harassment and sexual violence,” a statement by Liquor & Gaming NSW reads. “Making it clear that everyone who works in a licensed premises has a role to play in eliminating these behaviours.”

The drink-spiking protocols were added to RSA training in 2023, following a widely supported petition by What Were You Wearing, a Newcastle-based, Indigenous and youth-led not-for-profit that’s focused on supporting and preventing sexual assault and harassment in Australia. Liquor & Gaming NSW has published the updated training handbook, and providers are required to update their training materials by Monday September 30.

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The government’s announcement that it’s looking at “specialised sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention” training for RSA comes after several recent, highly publicised allegations of sexual assault and harassment stretching back a decade or more at some of Sydney’s best-known bars and restaurants.

“Just as patrons expect a safe night out, hospitality and entertainment workers deserve a safe workplace,” said John Graham, the Minister for Music and Night-Time Economy, in a statement. “Our role is to ensure that an enjoyable night out does not come at the expense of safety. One of the key priorities in the NSW Government’s new 24-Hour Economy Strategy is amenity and safety for night-time workers, which is why these training programs and handbooks are so important.”

The sexual violence and harassment training under consideration will upskill staff on identifying potential signs of sexual harassment, and educate them on the responsibility to monitor in-venue behaviour and how to take appropriate action, including asking people to leave, calling police and supporting victims.

A timeline for when the government will make a final decision on mandating sexual violence and harassment training as part of RSA courses has not been announced.

Update, 3.14pm September 25, 2024: this article was been amended to remove the names of specific companies and venues where sexual harassment and/or assault allegedly occurred.