Drinkaware launches campaign to tackle sexual harassment in night time economy

The new initiative will be trialled in Nottinghamshire as part of the Home Office Local Alcohol Action Areas (LAAAs) scheme and consists of an advertising campaign using the strapline: ‘You wouldn’t ... sober, you shouldn’t drunk’.

The project will introduce club licensees to Nottingham and Mansfield outlets which aim to enhance the feeling of customer safety in the night-time economy.

The campaign, which has the potential to be rolled out nationally, has been launched following a strategic review commissioned by Drinkaware last year, which revealed that nearly a third of young women (31%) and 1 in 10 young men (11%) aged 18-24 said they received inappropriate or unwanted physical attention or touching on a drunken night out.

It is hoped the scheme will encourage people to question their behaviour when drunk and empower others to speak out.

Peter Moyes, director of the Crime & Drug Partnership, said: “I’m really proud that Nottingham and Nottinghamshire won the chance to work with Drinkaware on this innovative project. It shows the strength of the partnership working forged through our status as a Local Alcohol Action Area, and will hopefully add to the feeling of safety in the city centre.”

Drinkaware CEO Elaine Hindal said: “Young adults themselves have told us that sexual harassment is an unwelcome part of a night out, yet they don’t feel empowered to stand up to it. We intend for this project to help reduce the incidence of unwelcome sexual banter and molestation in the night time economy. If a behaviour isn’t acceptable sober, it isn’t acceptable drunk”.