How a new awareness campaign aims to make it safer to have a night out in Toronto

Taking the onus off potential victims

Besides the workshop, Sip Safe will also provide safety tools and resources, including drink covers, custom signage, and information that can be displayed on menus about what people can do if they don’t feel safe. 

Deepa Mattoo, the executive director at Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, which provides counselling and resources to women and gender-diverse survivors of violence, says she applauds the campaign. 

“To raise awareness about the issue is really, really welcomed by us because it’s an issue that we see in our practice quite frequently,” said Mattoo

“People who feel scared about what happens to them in these spaces get traumatized for the rest of their lives. These are life-altering circumstances and experiences.”

The campaign is also aiming to remove the onus from potential victims to prevent drink-tampering and harassment themselves, by instead addressing systemic issues that allow these acts of violence to occur. 

That’s an important shift, says Carly Kalishni, the chief executive officer of Victim Services Toronto.

“What I love about the Sip Safe campaign is that the onus is removed from the survivor. It shouldn’t be women’s jobs to constantly be on edge about the nightmare that could happen to them,” she said, saying she wants to encourage more bars and restaurants to take part in the program.

“It should be people’s jobs not to do this, and also for the professionals in bars and nightclubs, and restaurants to look out for this.” Link to full story here.