Sexual ViolenceSDSSNCT07527988
Safer Drinking Spaces Study
A study testing Safe Bars active bystander training in people with Sexual Violence and Bystander Intervention, run by RTI International at 3 sites in United States.
Trial 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). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Sexual Violence, Bystander Intervention
- What is being tested?
- Safe Bars active bystander training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 3,180 participants
- Where
- 3 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 13 Aug 2026to Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- At least 18 years old
- Able to read and speak English
- Employee or patron of participating venues
Who cannot join
- 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.
Trial locations and contacts
3 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States3 sites, 3 recruiting
- Recruiting
RTI International
Durham, North Carolina, 27713
Marni Kan, 9194852756, mkan@rti.org
- Recruiting
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, 32611
Nichole Scaglione, (352) 294-0548, nscaglione@ufl.edu
- Recruiting
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas, 72204
Andrew Rizzo, 999-999-9999, drewrizzo@outlook.com
About this study
Official title: Rigorous Evaluation of Training in Alcohol-Serving Venues for Sexual Violence Prevention
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:
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- What characteristics and conditions are necessary for effective Safe Bars implementation and improved staff and patron outcomes?
Researchers will compare staff and patron experiences at venues that have received the training with venues that are offered a delayed training. Staff and patron participants will be asked to complete surveys over about 12 months, research staff will conduct observations of training and observations in the venues, and selected venue managers and staff will be asked to complete individual interviews.
Read the detailed description
The prevalence of sexual violence (SV) is still unacceptably high in the United States and alcohol-serving venues (e.g., bars, nightclubs) are the most common public setting where SV occurs. Extensive research confirms that the venue environment, coupled with alcohol consumption, is associated with increased rates of SV. Trainings for venue staff, which combine bystander intervention skill-building with discussion of organization-level changes to policies, norms, and environmental characteristics, are a promising approach to prevent SV because they address both individual and community (i.e., venue)-level risk and protective factors. To date, these trainings have not been rigorously evaluated in terms of SV outcomes. There is a critical need to test the effectiveness of prevention approaches that change both individual behavior in venues and characteristics of venue settings to reduce SV among staff and patrons.
The proposed study will assess the effectiveness of Safe Bars active bystander training, which involves training and support for alcohol-serving venues, for primary prevention of SV. Safe Bars, Inc. has implemented trainings for venue staff since 2013, with 135 venues in 15 states trained either directly by Safe Bars, Inc. or by one of their trained chapter organizations since 2022. Grounded in established theories of behavior change, Safe Bars promotes anti-violence norms and creates safer environments by increasing bystander intervention among venue staff and generating venue-level solutions to preventing SV (such as improving policies or increasing anti-violence messaging in the venue).
In a prior study, the research team established the feasibility of evaluating venue-based SV prevention by conducting an evaluability assessment, including formative research and pilot testing of procedures. Informed by the results, the proposed evaluation uses a Hybrid Type 1 effectiveness-implementation design to assess the impact of Safe Bars training on SV among venue staff and patrons (Aim 1); examine venue environment characteristics, staff and patron psychosocial factors, and staff bystander intervention behaviors as mediators of Safe Bars training effects on SV outcomes (Aim 2); and examine potential moderating characteristics necessary for effective Safe Bars implementation and improved staff and patron outcomes (Aim 3). The study will use repeated surveys of patrons and staff at 15 intervention and 15 waitlist control venues, semi-structured interviews with managers and staff, training observations, venue observations, and Safe Bars implementation records to evaluate effectiveness and implementation and measure costs.
Safe Bars training is manualized for dissemination and has shown strong community acceptability. The outcomes of this study are expected to have an important positive impact by expanding the evidence base for community-level SV prevention and informing future implementation of venue-focused interventions.
- Conditions
- Sexual Violence, Bystander Intervention
- Being tested
- Safe Bars active bystander training
- Keywords
- alcohol-serving venues, community-level evaluation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Safe Bars active bystander trainingBehavioural
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.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 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. Receives: 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. Receives: Behavioral: Safe Bars active bystander training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Sexual assault victimization among patrons
Endorsement (yes) to any of 5 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue
Measured: 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
Measured: 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
Measured: 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
Measured: 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
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Secondary outcomes (5)
Staff acceptance of sexual violence
Average of 6 items on a 1-5 scale; higher scores indicate more acceptance
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Staff self-efficacy to intervene
Average of 17 items on a 1-5 scale; higher scores indicate more self-efficacy
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Staff perceived safety of the venue
Average of 5 items on a 1-5 scale; higher scores indicate less perceived safety
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Patron perceived safety of the venue
Average of 5 items on a 1-5 scale; higher scores indicate less perceived safety
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Patron witnessing venue staff intervention
Proportion of opportunities (out of 17 possible) in which patrons reported that they saw staff intervene in a risky situation
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Apr 2026
- Study start13 Aug 2026
- Primary completionDec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Sexual ViolenceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- 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.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 3,180 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- RTI International
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Florida, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, University of Arkansas
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Marni Kan, RTI International
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07527988
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- U01CE003755
- Other IDs
- 1U01CE003755-01
- Acronym
- SDSS
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Deidentified survey data from venue staff and patrons will be automatically archived after the study ends via the University of Florida's long-term electronic storage system, so it will be able to be made available to other researchers upon request with proper documentation of planned use and subsequent destruction. The data will be destroyed five years after the study ends. Participants' identifying information (names and contact information) will not be included in shared data.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Rigorous Evaluation of Training in Alcohol-Serving Venues for Sexual Violence Prevention
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07527988
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SDSS / U01CE003755
- Conditions
- Sexual Violence, Bystander Intervention
- Keywords
- alcohol-serving venues, community-level evaluation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 3,180 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- RTI InternationalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Florida, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, University of Arkansas
- Study start
- 13 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 14 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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:
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- What characteristics and conditions are necessary for effective Safe Bars implementation and improved staff and patron outcomes?
Researchers will compare staff and patron experiences at venues that have received the training with venues that are offered a delayed training. Staff and patron participants will be asked to complete surveys over about 12 months, research staff will conduct observations of training and observations in the venues, and selected venue managers and staff will be asked to complete individual interviews.
Detailed description
The prevalence of sexual violence (SV) is still unacceptably high in the United States and alcohol-serving venues (e.g., bars, nightclubs) are the most common public setting where SV occurs. Extensive research confirms that the venue environment, coupled with alcohol consumption, is associated with increased rates of SV. Trainings for venue staff, which combine bystander intervention skill-building with discussion of organization-level changes to policies, norms, and environmental characteristics, are a promising approach to prevent SV because they address both individual and community (i.e., venue)-level risk and protective factors. To date, these trainings have not been rigorously evaluated in terms of SV outcomes. There is a critical need to test the effectiveness of prevention approaches that change both individual behavior in venues and characteristics of venue settings to reduce SV among staff and patrons.
The proposed study will assess the effectiveness of Safe Bars active bystander training, which involves training and support for alcohol-serving venues, for primary prevention of SV. Safe Bars, Inc. has implemented trainings for venue staff since 2013, with 135 venues in 15 states trained either directly by Safe Bars, Inc. or by one of their trained chapter organizations since 2022. Grounded in established theories of behavior change, Safe Bars promotes anti-violence norms and creates safer environments by increasing bystander intervention among venue staff and generating venue-level solutions to preventing SV (such as improving policies or increasing anti-violence messaging in the venue).
In a prior study, the research team established the feasibility of evaluating venue-based SV prevention by conducting an evaluability assessment, including formative research and pilot testing of procedures. Informed by the results, the proposed evaluation uses a Hybrid Type 1 effectiveness-implementation design to assess the impact of Safe Bars training on SV among venue staff and patrons (Aim 1); examine venue environment characteristics, staff and patron psychosocial factors, and staff bystander intervention behaviors as mediators of Safe Bars training effects on SV outcomes (Aim 2); and examine potential moderating characteristics necessary for effective Safe Bars implementation and improved staff and patron outcomes (Aim 3). The study will use repeated surveys of patrons and staff at 15 intervention and 15 waitlist control venues, semi-structured interviews with managers and staff, training observations, venue observations, and Safe Bars implementation records to evaluate effectiveness and implementation and measure costs.
Safe Bars training is manualized for dissemination and has shown strong community acceptability. The outcomes of this study are expected to have an important positive impact by expanding the evidence base for community-level SV prevention and informing future implementation of venue-focused interventions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- 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.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Safe Bars Training | Experimental | Behavioral: Safe Bars active bystander trainingVenues assigned to this arm will receive the Safe Bars active bystander training for their staff after baseline data collection for the study. |
| Wait-List Control | Other | Behavioral: Safe Bars active bystander trainingVenues 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. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- At least 18 years old
- Able to read and speak English
- Employee or patron of participating venues
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 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.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Safe Bars active bystander trainingSafe 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. | Behavioural | Safe Bars Training, Wait-List Control |
Primary outcome
Sexual assault victimization among patrons
Time frame: Baseline to 12 months
Endorsement (yes) to any of 5 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue
Sexual harassment victimization among patrons
Time frame: Baseline to 12 months
Endorsement (yes) of any of 8 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue
Sexual assault victimization among staff
Time frame: Baseline to 12 months
Endorsement (yes) to any of 5 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue
Sexual harassment victimization among staff
Time frame: Baseline to 12 months
Endorsement (yes) of any of 8 items asking about experiences in the past month at the venue
Staff bystander behavior
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Proportion of opportunities (out of 17 possible) in which staff reported that they intervened in a risky situation
5 secondary outcomes
Staff acceptance of sexual violence
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Staff self-efficacy to intervene
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Staff perceived safety of the venue
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Patron perceived safety of the venue
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Patron witnessing venue staff intervention
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Deidentified survey data from venue staff and patrons will be automatically archived after the study ends via the University of Florida's long-term electronic storage system, so it will be able to be made available to other researchers upon request with proper documentation of planned use and subsequent destruction. The data will be destroyed five years after the study ends. Participants' identifying information (names and contact information) will not be included in shared data.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
3 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Safe Bars active bystander training in people with Sexual Violence and Bystander Intervention, run by RTI International at 3 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 3 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Marni Kan (919-485-2756, mkan@rti.org), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Sexual assault victimization among patrons (time frame: Baseline to 12 months). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Aug 2026.