The City of Vancouver is expanding its Last Call Pilot Project with the #NotMe reporting app being made available city-wide.
Earlier this spring, the one-year initiative was launched in partnership with the non-profit Good Night Out (GNO) to create a safer and more inclusive nightlife in Vancouver.
The City aims to increase awareness of the #NotMe reporting tool and encourage its use to anonymously report sexual harassment and misconduct.
From now until March 31, 2024, the #NotMe app allows users to share incidents of harassment in any Vancouver establishment, not just the ones participating in the Last Call Pilot Project.
The data collected from the app will be used to get a better picture of gender-based violence issues, including sexual harassment, assault, and sexual assault.
"There are eight Vancouver establishments that will each get three hours of training," Stacey Forrester, Co-Founder and Education Director of Good Night Out Vancouver, told V.I.A.
The Vancouver establishments participating in the project will be notified of incidents directly, and the data will be used to better address gender-based violence in the city's nightlife scene. Non-participating establishments that are named in the reports will be offered the opportunity to receive sexual harassment prevention and intervention training from Good Night Out, as well as to learn more about the Last Call Project.
"Everyone, no matter their gender, should feel safe when going out with friends and family," said Mayor Ken Sim in a media release.
"With the expansion of the pilot, we will be able to get more accurate data into the issue of sexual violence in the service and hospitality industry."
GNO Vancouver is a non-profit that provides sexual violence prevention education and resources for the hospitality industry and the new initiative is meant to address patterns of sexual violence and make the city's nightlife more inclusive for marginalized genders, such as cis and trans women, non-binary and Two-Spirit people who are 22 per cent more likely to experience sexualized violence and harassment.
"It is really important that the City plays a role in getting involved with non-profit organizations to ensure that nightlife venues are better equipped and are a safer space for their workers and patrons," said Forrester.
"Their #NotMe platform has made it so easy for people to share reports of harassment quickly and easily in this industry and we have been fortunate to be able to offer this to Last Call participants and their guests. With #NotMe expansion to be available across Vancouver and beyond, I am grateful that more survivors will have the opportunity to speak up safely and help enact change in the industry and community," said Forrester.
With files from Allie Turner
