By Emilee Guernsey
March 22 2022 - Women of the Vine and Spirits and Distilled Spirits Council of the United States have partnered with RAINN to launch a training program that addresses the ever present harassment and discrimination that is ongoing in the alcohol beverage community.
RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. They created and operate the National Sexual Assault Hotline. This organization will be able to help WOTVS and DISCUS on their mission to bring awareness to the community around them.
From WOTVS press release, Founder and CEO, Deborah Brenner is quoted as saying, “Women of the Vine & Spirits, together with DISCUS, pledge to continue to work to eradicate harassment and co-create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace for all to succeed. We hope that through greater access to educational training and development, we can collectively work towards a safer and more unbiased industry for all.”
There will be multiple levels of training provided; Level 1: Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Training and Level 2: Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Training. Each level of training will be held five times and will also be available to the public via WOTVS platform.
“While we still have a lot of work to do, education is the first step,” Brenner said. “Taking the Level 1 & 2 training with RAINN is an impactful way to recognize your position in the industry, the power you may hold, and the ways in which you can intervene as an active bystander.”
Since 2020, WOTVS has been able to train hundreds of individuals across all industry sectors.
“It has been amazing to see the amount of engagement and participation we have experienced since launching our first RAINN training,” Brenner said.
Furthermore, WOTVS has paired with CARE Impact Partners to continue their efforts in preventing sexual misconduct in the beverage industry.
“Thanks to the collaboration and financial support of Pernod-Ricard North America and Corby Spirit & Wine, CARE will be working with WOTVS to create a customized CEO Pledge and Standardized Guidelines addressing sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse as well as gender-based violence specifically for the beverage alcohol industry,” Brenner said. “You can read more about this initiative here.”
To learn more about WOTVS and DISCUS pledge, as well as a more in depth guide to the training, you can view their press release here.
RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, leading the country in providing services that are victim-centered and trauma-informed. RAINN utilizes best and promising practices in the field of sexual assault prevention and response, as well as lessons learned from the over 3 million users of the National Sexual Assault Hotline and Online hotline.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, the National Sexual Assault Hotline provides free, anonymous 24/7 support via phone at 800.656.4673 or chat via the online hotline. RAINN’s website (www.rainn.org) also provides information on supporting loved ones who are survivors, helping yourself heal if you’ve been directly affected by sexual violence, and how to be part of creating safer communities.