First wave of UK music venues complete WMCA-funded training to tackle sexual harassment

Staff from six UK music venues in the West Midlands have received training to recognise and tackle sexual harassment and violence in their businesses and the nighttime economy, as part of the first wave of Safer Dance regional rollout.

The live music and NTE professionals drawn from Birmingham and Coventry were joined by university students and staff, media, funding and policy professionals, and the Mayor of the West Midlands over two half days of intensive training.

The Actress & Bishop, Digbeth Dining Club, Hockley Social Club, Nortons Digbeth, The Rainbow Pub and The Tin Music and Arts were amongst venues on-boarded during the training sessions, enabling them to put policies and actions in place at their venues.

Expert trainers and speakers Michelle Diaz (RSVP) and Frances Barber Shillito (No Words Needed Management) joined Safer Dance co-founders Sam Hennerley and Jack Young to deliver the sessions, which also featured a screening of a new short film When The Music Ends, produced by Birmingham-born global artist DJ Rebekah and Beatport.

The programme was designed to coincide with the arrival of new ‘Duty To Prevent’ legislation under the Worker Protection Act 2023 which requires all employers to proactively prevent sexual harassment in the workplace from October 2024.

Safer Dance was developed by co-founders Sam Hennerley and Jack Young in 2019 to address concerns around the safety in music and NTE venues by providing an audit model, range of resources and framework for upskilling employers and employees.

Their training rollout complements work by West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to embed a Women’s Night Safety Charter across the region and encourage industry to engage with harm reduction measures for staff, customers and sub-contractors.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe on a night out, so staff and fellow partygoers need to know how to spot the signs of sexual harassment and take action when needed.

“When I visited Safer Dance, I saw first-hand the incredible impact their initiative will have in setting new standards and making sure everyone can dance the night away in our fantastic pubs and clubs with peace of mind and a sense of safety.”

Mayor Richard Parker speaks to Safer Dance co-founders Jack Young and Sam Hennerley. Photo: Ninetyfive / Safer Dance

The event was hosted by Birmingham City University’s Music Business course and the training funded by the WMCA's Inclusive Communities Fund via the Heart of England Community Foundation.

Tina Costello, chief executive of the Heart of England Community Foundation, said: “The Inclusive Communities Fund was incredibly competitive, so I’m delighted that Safer Dance UK secured funding through the programme to deliver their training across several regional venues.

“With the anti-sexual harassment policy now part of the Equality Act 2010, employers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, so this training is relevant and vital to ensure women can enjoy a social evening without the fear of sexual harassment and assault.

“Thanks to Safer Dance UK for this brilliant initiative, and thank you for the opportunity to see the training in action.”

Grassroots music venues in the West Midlands who would like to apply to be part of the second phase of WMCA-funded training rollout can apply via https://saferdance.org/funded-project