For hospitality- and service-industry workers, serving alcohol is often a part of the job. That can also mean learning to navigate harassment, aggression, violence or abuse between patrons or even other staff. 

That’s why Peace House, a local anti-domestic violence nonprofit dedicated to helping reduce the rate of domestic and interpersonal violence, is training local bars to help staff navigate conflicts that may arise in social situations when alcohol is involved.

It’s a national, evidence-based program called Safe Bars, and Peace House is one of the first organizations in Utah certified to offer the training.

“It’s a free training that we offer that’s really focused on creating safe and welcoming hospitality spaces, specifically alcohol-serving spaces,” said Erin Meottel, prevention coordinator at Peace House. “(It uses) the ‘active bystander’ approach combined with de-escalation strategies to empower hospitality staff to stop sexual aggression and any other form of gender-based violence in their work environments.” 

The training is an hour to an hour-and-a-half long and is intended to address situations that can arise in all elements of the service industry, Meottel said, whether that’s aggression or violence between staff members, patrons, management or some mix between them. 

The training starts with sharing some local resources for dealing with abuse and conflict, such as the National Street Harassment Hotline, a legal aid hotline for service workers and the national Human Trafficking Hotline. 

Then, trainees are asked to consider some sobering statistics: 81% of women and 43% of men have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime. LGBTQ+ people experience four times the violence that straight cis people do, and trans women of color account for 80% of all known violent killings of transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming people. Black trans women account for 63% of this population. Ninety percent of women and 70% of men who work in restaurants regularly experience harassment, and tipped workers experience 50% more sexual harassment than non-tipped workers. 

This stuff is common, sometimes even normalized. The curriculum emphasizes that alcohol does not cause harassment or sexual assault, but its consumption can contribute to an environment wherein these behaviors become permissible, camouflaged, or even excused.

To handle these scenarios, the program teaches five Ds and one R: direct, distract, delegate, document, delay and responsiveness. 

“Bystander intervention isn’t one size fits all,” Meottel said. “People have different personalities. There are different situations. And so essentially, we try to teach them that as a bystander, you don’t have to do everything. We just want you to do something.”

That can look like distracting an aggressor or documenting a conflict, creating evidence that a victim can later choose how to use. Delegating means bringing in someone more assertive and suited to confrontation. Delay means that a bystander doesn’t necessarily have to step in right in the moment — following up after a conflict is meaningful, too. 

Responsiveness is similar: Listening to someone talk about what happened or reassuring them that they are not at fault can go a long way. Even just believing a victim who tells you about abuse they suffered can make a significant impact on their ability to recover from the trauma.

Finally, the group reviews video examples of harassment in bar settings.

“We highlight, ‘Who is the aggressor in the video? Who is the target? What were the signs that someone was feeling uncomfortable, (and) which intervention tactic was used? How could you utilize that?’” said Moettel. “And that usually brings up a really great conversation of different things that people notice and different ways that they can intervene.”

Meottel added that a lot of the training is encouraging people to use these tools to act on gut feelings.  

“The bystander effect is really common,” Moettel said. “We think, ‘Oh, someone else will intervene,’ or, ‘I don’t know how to intervene,’ and that can prevent people from intervening. And so empowering these staff to know that: ‘This is your establishment. You guys set the tone for what is expected and allowed here and what is not, and we support you in intervening and keeping these people safe.’” 

While Peace House has conducted the training at several businesses in the Wasatch Back already — such as Black Rock Mountain Resort, Red Banjo Pizza and Westgate Resort — the nonprofit is specifically looking to work with more on Main Street, where locals and tourists often mingle and the potential for conflict may rise. 

According to Sara Sergent, co-founder and master distiller at Alpine Distilling and its Social Aid & Pleasure Club, 364 Main Street, the training was an easy yes because it dovetailed with the “living room” approach the bar takes to hospitality: The club closes at 10 p.m. and only seats 50, a third of its max occupancy. 

“(We want to be) just a nice, cozy place for people across the board, whether you work there, whether you visit there,” Sergent said. “We’re very fortunate to live in the community that we do … but even in a community like ours, it’s good to just explore.”

It’s not the type of place to get rowdy, but that doesn’t mean the conversation isn’t important, Sergent said.

“I think a lot of bars, restaurants, the hotels, there is a lot of benefit in this to open up dialogue with your team, because every business culture is a little bit different, and just spark that, and then have a very easy resource that’s available for both team members and guests coming in.”

For Marie Griffin, a longtime bartender from Moab who worked at Alpine during the ski season this year, the training was a chance to share her experience with situations that have become familiar to her. 

“When you’re training new staff members and younger staff who maybe aren’t used to the bar scene, you don’t really get to go over situations that could go wrong,” Griffin said. “Sex trafficking … there are so many things that, as a vet bartender, you’re able to notice because you’ve been through it.”

The bar scene in Park City isn’t unlike Moab’s, where tourism is also strong, she said. It can lead to unpredictable behaviors.

“People are on vacation. They’re partying. You don’t know what other substances they’re using,” Griffin said, “and that usually causes some drama. Someone could be fine at one point, and then they mix something, and then all of a sudden, it’s not fine, right?”

Being a bartender involves a lot of soft, interpersonal skills, navigating situations that can change quickly. It can be helpful to build a rapport with customers in case things do go wrong, but that can also backfire, she said. Safe Bars gave her a space to talk about the challenge of riding that line with dozens of patrons every night. 

“I’ve been through some crazy instances,” she said, “and I think that (Safe Bars) is just a beautiful program. It brings a lot of light to certain situations. But also, I think every bar should know how to be a ‘safe bar.’ And I feel really proud in knowing that I am one of the first bartenders certified in Safe Bar. I reached out to them because I would love to facilitate something like that in Moab.” 

Anyone interested in learning more about the Safe Bar program can reach out to Meottel at Peace House via email at erin@peacehouse.org.

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Peace House, along with Maker Union, Bridge 21, and the National Ability Center, on Thursday will host an empowerment fair focused on addressing the safety needs of the disabled and neurodiverse community.

The event will be held at Maker Union, located at 1912 Sidewinder Dr. from 4-6 p.m.

Held during March, which is recognized as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, the event highlights the importance of well-being, safety and healthy relationships for individuals with disabilities.

“This month reminds us that individuals with developmental disabilities are valuable members of our communities and deserve full participation in all aspects of life, including education, employment, recreation and civic engagement,” says the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities.

The meeting will feature a panel discussion hosting two representatives from the Utah Parent Center, an organization based in Salt Lake City that supports children, youth and young adults with disabilities and special health-care needs.

These guests specialize in teaching healthy relationships and lead a multi-week course covering various related topics, said Erin Meotell, prevention coordinator at Peace House.

Additionally, a representative from Adult Protective Services will address questions regarding mandatory reporting, Meotell said, emphasizing that all individuals over the age of 18 are mandatory reporters, including in cases involving vulnerable adults and the elderly. 

The panel is also expected to include a representative from the Park City Police Department, along with other experts in public safety and accessibility, such as those in emergency response and transportation services.

A social time with local police and fire department personnel is scheduled to give attendees the chance to interact and become familiar with these first responders. 

“We want to make sure that this community knows that if they need help, they know the best way to contact these organizations and know how to keep themselves safe,” she said.

Individuals with disabilities experience higher rates of violence compared to those without disabilities, said Meottel. This violence can be physical, sexual, emotional or psychological, and at the same time these people often have far less knowledge on reporting these types of crimes. 

“Our mission at Peace House is to prevent violence and interpersonal violence, and we strive to ensure our outreach includes the entire community,” she said, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the neurodiverse community is aware of how to seek help, connect with relevant organizations, and take steps to keep themselves safe.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe and be an advocate for their own safety. In their homes, in their communities where they work, where they go to school,” said Meottel. “I think sometimes it can be hard to stand up for yourself or to speak out if you don’t know how to do that or where to go to do that.”

No registration is required, and the event is open to anyone, especially those within the neurodiverse community, as well as individuals who work with this population and want to learn more about safety and effective ways to support and protect them.

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Puente Comunitario returns this Thursday with an in-house presentation by Peace House clinical services staff Alejandra Almada and Elizabeth Berru. Both are bilingual therapists providing care in English and Spanish. The topics discussed at this month’s meeting will be focused on mental health — including how to access therapy at Peace House.

“In addition to talking about therapy services offered at Peace House, we will talk about some coping strategies that attendees can use on their own,” said Almada.

Jenifer Heredia, outreach specialist and director of Puente Comunitario, said she hopes attendees will take away a better understanding of these services, whether at Peace House or sources outside the organization. 

“Our services are open to survivors of domestic violence who are in Summit and Wasatch counties,” said Heredia, “or anyone who has experienced any type of interpersonal violence, no matter what cultural background.”

The most important aspect of Peace House Clinical Services is that the team provides trauma-informed, confidential therapy for survivors of domestic and interpersonal violence and sexual assault, said Heredia. 

Licensed therapists offer individual and group counseling. All Peace House services are available in English and Spanish. Financial barriers are also never an obstacle, as all services are offered for free.

The ongoing uncertainty of today’s political climate has increased anxiety in the community about what lies ahead. Regardless of the extent to which someone is affected, it is important to prioritize mental health and emotional well-being, Heredia said.

While not a licensed therapist, Heredia highlights several strategies for managing mental health. These include focusing on what can be controlled, setting boundaries on news and social media consumption — especially given the rapid access to information — and prioritizing self-care. 

“Do things you love to do that take your mind away from the stressful topic,” she said. “Whether that’s being with family, going for a walk or even taking a nap, self-care looks different for everyone and that in itself, is the beauty of being human.”

Almada said that she hopes “attendees can leave the meeting with a better understanding of mental health, domestic violence, coping strategies, as well as feeling empowered to ask for help if they need it.”

Peace House continues its efforts to raise awareness about the breadth of support and resources it provides. Through programs like Puente Comunitario, they aim to reach individuals in need of resources as well as those interested in sharing what their organizations offer to the community.

While Puente Comunitario meetings are primarily held in Spanish with English translation, they are open to anybody who would like to join. 

This week’s free session will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Peace House building, 700 Round Valley Drive.

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Oldest of three siblings, an eager reader and helper of people, Jenifer Heredia is the bilingual community relations specialist at Peace House. Embedded in her passion for service is her story, one with many firsts. 

Heredia’s parents moved to Heber when she was 3 years old because her father had family there, and they eventually decided to lay roots in nearby Park City. Now, 26 years later, Park City has become more than a home and a place much too special to leave. 

“Growing up in Park City was such a great experience in the sense of being surrounded by the outdoors and the mountains,” said Heredia. “There’s so many great places to go, especially as a kid, it’s like we have this giant playground in our backyard.” 

Heredia went through the whole Park City school system, attending McPolin Elementary School, Ecker Hill, Treasure Mountain and Park City High School. 

As an elementary school student during the 2002 Winter Olympics, she helped form part of McPolin history by painting tiles with skiers and snowmen for a mural that still decorates the school’s wall today. 

Expressing fondness of those early memories, Heredia said she felt that kids were always so warm and inviting. 

“I have always been a talker and a people person,” said Heredia, “so growing up, it was never really hard for me to make friends. I was always wanting to invite people in and get to know people and really find the niches of what makes them light up.” 

Heredia said her earliest and most cherished memories involve spending time with her family. As a child, she enjoyed exploring town with friends, playing volleyball or basketball at City Park, rollerblading with her dad and sisters, and visiting Dolly’s Bookstore whenever she had the chance.

“I always spent my time at Dolly’s, so that gives me such a sense of nostalgia,” said Heredia.

Heredia describes books as her “saving grace” — they were a way for her to dive into a world completely different from her own. 

“Books bring that luxury of being immersed in this separate world, whether you can picture it in your head or not, you’re immersed in such a different story. My goal right now in my adult life is to have enough books where I can be considered a library. And I looked it up, and apparently it’s a thousand books,” she said with a laugh.

Heredia credits her sense of independence and responsibility to the freedom she had growing up in Park City. 

“We would walk to places. We would ride our bikes to places. It all felt very connected in that sense,” she said. “That’s really what I appreciate about Park City the most is having that freedom as a kid and teenager. I think that also gave everybody a sense of responsibility.”

Heredia had two examples of hard-working parents, which shaped her willingness and determination to work hard, her father especially. 

“He was definitely one of those people that was just like, ‘I’m going to work hard in order for my kids to grow up with more than I had,’ and I feel like that’s the trend with Hispanic parents,” she said. “It’s, ‘How do I give my kids more? How do I make sure that they have everything they need and then some?’” 

As a first-generation child and being the eldest of three siblings, Heredia was the first to accomplish, learn and help with many things in her family. 

“I grew up being the translator for my family most of the time, translating legal documents, tax documents, really the documents that I had no business translating,” she said.

Heredia reflected on her sense of being caught between identities and the struggle to feel fully accepted as both Latino and American. She can relate to many things that first generation families and young Latino kids may experience growing up in Park City, and this has greatly influenced how she approaches her work today, she said.

“Even creating that space for the Mexican Americans, the Latino Americans growing up in this day and age, to know that they’re enough, knowing that they’re Latino enough, that they’re American enough, that everything that we do is enough. We’re doing it with the knowledge that everybody else got but also with the burdens that we carry from our childhood or the burdens that we carry from our family, so I feel like we’re doing more than enough,” she said.

She grew up with the belief that she had to work exceptionally hard because despite having the same opportunities as other kids, her heritage and the color of her skin meant she would face additional challenges. She was taught that achieving entry-level jobs would require 10 times the effort and that she had to accept this reality.

Since her own childhood, Heredia said, she has observed a positive shift in today’s world: Younger generations recognize their worth and are more willing to stand up against injustice. She noted that there are now many more resources and activities available for kids.

While the Latino/Hispanic community in Park City has grown, Heredia emphasized that it was never a small community. There have always been many hard-working individuals, whether behind the scenes or not, she said.

Housing is currently one of the biggest hindrances not only for the Latino community, but for the broader community as well, with exorbitant costs for even so-called affordable-housing options. 

“I’ve known people I grew up with who have family that can no longer afford to live here, so they move to Salt Lake or Heber, which is quickly becoming the next Park City and is equally as expensive,” she said. “If anything, what might change Park City is that it might become too expensive to live here, and then we might see a decline in the community that way.”

“I love Park City!” she exclaimed. “And there’s moments that we’re like, ‘Oh, I want to move away,’ but then it’s like, ‘Where do I move to that offers the same thing that you grew up with?’ It’s definitely one of those things where I could move and make a home there, but it’s never going to be the same.”

As Heredia moved into her adult life, she saw herself building a career in retail, but when her work came to a halt during the pandemic, she thought twice.

Heredia found her way to Peace House through a friend who told her about an open advocate position and encouraged her to apply. 

“It was definitely one of those moments of like, ‘What the heck is an advocate?’” said Heredia. “I told myself, ‘You know what, it’s in between COVID. Let’s try it. Let’s see what it looks like.’”

Heredia was aware of Peace House and remembered seeing their old location on Main Street when she was younger. She found herself eager to learn more about the nonprofit, what it offered, and how she could contribute to the organization in her new role as an advocate.

“When I started here, the list of questions I had was like, ‘OK, how does this work? How does this run? What is my role?’ And it honestly lit a fire in me,” she said.

Heredia knew that she wanted to work with people. She wanted to help people achieve independence in their lives and find confidence. 

“I want to be that push forward for somebody to feel like they can do it by themselves, that they aren’t defined by their situation. It’s not about what happened to them. It’s what you do from that situation that matters,” she said.

Beginning in February, Heredia transitioned into her new role as a bilingual community relations specialist. In this capacity, she launched a program called Puente Comunitario, which furthers her efforts to build community and connect people with available resources. 

“Growing up, I saw my parents really struggling to find all these resources,” said Heredia. “Whether that be like an English class, trying to find dental care, health care that was in a close proximity but also worked with people that didn’t have insurance, was very hard.” 

With Puente Comunitario, she envisions creating a place where everyone in the community feels welcome, heard and free from judgment or learning barriers. She sees a future where, if someone needs help, regardless of the situation, they will know exactly where to find it. Heredia explained that individuals often have to choose between resources due to logistical issues or lack of information, and she aims to close that gap.

“Yes, (at Peace House) we’re here to help those survivors of domestic violence. But also with my role, I want it to open up more to the community as a whole and really create a safe place where they can come and speak their mind.”

While Puente Comunitario meetings are typically conducted in Spanish, they are open to all members of the community, with translation between Spanish and English as needed.

“One thing I love about Park City is that everybody’s so willing to help each other,” said Heredia. “That sense of community is so crucial, especially with being somebody who my family means the world to me, and my biggest treasure in life is having that family connection … but also being able to create that sense of family within a community is so magical.” 

Puente Comunitario meetings are currently held once a month, but Heredia hopes to increase the frequency to twice a month or more as demand increases. Through these meetings, Heredia hopes to foster open and honest communication, as well as to amplify the Latino community’s voices as she feels they have historically been underrepresented. Her goal for the group is to provide a strong sense of community and support, reflecting the community-driven nature of Latino culture.

If you or your organization is interested in partnering with Heredia and Puente Comunitario, reach out via email at jenifer@peacehouse.org. To find more information about Puente Comunitario and stay updated on the latest meetings visit peacehouse.org/events.

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Park City’s Peace House held a candlelight vigil in Newpark Tuesday evening, Oct. 4, 2016, for victims and those who honor victims of domestic violence. The vigil included a handful of speakers, hot wassail, snacks and live music. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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