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Just over two weeks later, a 22-year-old woman reported the same thing, saying she had been at a bar near 107 Street and Jasper Avenue before she and a few friends went to a residence, where she was sexually assaulted.

Another 21-year-old woman said while she was at a bar near 106 Street and 82 Avenue on July 6 she was invited to a residence, where she says she was assaulted.

The allegations have not been proven in court.

A spokesperson for Urban Sparq hospitality confirmed McKnight had been once been employed by the company, and had since served as an independent consultant.

“We take this matter extremely seriously and will fully co-operate with Edmonton police,” Brendan Cooks, manager of Urban Sparq, said in a news release.

Three of the Edmonton bars owned by Urban Sparq are Best Bar None accredited, a program that recognizes and encourages bar owners who raise the standards of their establishments to reduce alcohol-related harm.

While the accreditation requires bar owners to have written rules that include a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment or the harassment of staff or patrons, policies can only go so far.

“It’s all about increasing safety; whether that is about sexual assault or serving (liquor) appropriately, it is all about improving prevention,” said Angelle Sasseville, spokesperson for the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, which oversees the Best Bar None program in Edmonton.

“You can never prevent 1oo per cent, but it does offer an opportunity to enforce the importance of these policies and working together with industry to find ways to improve.”

James said while bar owners should be aware of the risk — alcohol is the most commonly used drug to facilitate sexual assaults, with statistics showing half of all sexual assaults involve alcohol — the blame is solely on the perpetrator.

The focus needs to be on encouraging sexual assault victims to report the assault, as only six per cent of victims ever do, James said.

“Strength is in numbers,” said James, applauding the three women who came forward in this case.

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