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WEBVTT T'S ROUNDS ONLINE-- AND YOU MAY BEASKING, IFEVERYONEKNOWS,COULDN'T YOUR DATE ALSO KNOW? WELLHOPEWORKS OFFICIALS SAY YES BUT IT CANSTILL BEVALUABLE TOOL,BUT THEY AREWORKING ONOTHER EFFORTS TO HELP THOSE FEELING UNSAFE. - SARAH- if you name that you feelunsafe in front ofsomeone who perpetating violenceagainst you, that chance that you are going to experience violence goes through the ro0f. IT'S A SCENARIO EVERYONEWOULD LIKE TO AVOID SARAH- it's likemuch higher CODE PHRASESYOU CAN SAY TOA BAR TENDER TO GET YOU OUT OFANUNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION ARE MAKING THEIRROUNDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE LATEST--- ISORDERING AN ANGEL SHOTSARAH- being able to go to an outside person and say canyou help is animportant thing tobe able to do AND SOMEPLACES ARETAKING NOTICE,INCLUDING MULEBAR IN WINOOSKI MATT- it's importantto us that whilepeople are dining here, they feel comfortable sowhen there is a code word, that's great, we hope it never gets to thatpoint BAR MANAGER MATTHEW FARKAS SAYS HIS STAFF ALWAYSWORKS PROACTIVELY, NO MATTER HOWBUSY A NIGHT IS MATT- we check in at tables, we consistentlyconverse with people so we know what's going on sowe can spot ifthere's a first dateor a awkward date AND THEY HAVE A PLAN IF THEYNEED TO INTERVENE MATT- we are alltrained and aware that if soemoen needs a ride hoem,we can get an uberBUT EDUCATION COORDINATOR ATHOPEWORKS INBURLINGTONSARAH MELLSAYS ALL BARS MAY NOT KNOWHOW TO DEAL WITH ASTRESSFUL SITUATION EVTHOUGH THEY ARE A HIGH RISK ENVIRONMENT.SARAH- thenumber oneweapon used insexual assualt is alcohol THAT'S WHYSHE'S RAMPING UP OUTREACH EFFORTS TOPLACES THAT SERVE ALCOHOL-TORAISE THE BAR SARAH- what are some resourcesyou can offer someone if they come to you and say oh my gosh this tinder date is notgiong well I really just need to get outof here A TRAINING THAT MAY EXTEND THEBOUNDS OF ANESTABLISHMENT SARAH- what I would love is for folks to recognizeit's all of our responsibility to name sexually aggressivebehaviors that couldlead to sexualviolence when wesee thSO ALL PATRONSCAN FEEL SAFE TO RELAX ANDMEET NEWPEOPLEMATT- this is a place where pople want to come andenjoy themselvesBAR OWNERSCAN REACH OUT TO HOPEWORKSDIRECTLY FORINFORMATION ONHOW TOORGANIZE ATRAINING. AND IN THEMEANTIME, IFYOU'RE GOINGON A BLIND DATE,THE BURLINGTONPOLICEDEPARTMENTRECOMMENDSTHAT IT'S AT APUBLIC PLACE, AND YOU LET A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER KNOW WHEREYOU'RE GOING. LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM, ABBY ISAACS NBC5 NEWS.

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The idea started in Florida, and now it's spreading across the country over social media: ordering an "angel shot" online to get out of an unsafe situation at a bar. "If you name that you feel unsafe in front of someone who is perpetrating violence against you, the chance that you are going to experience violence goes through the roof," H.O.P.E. Works education coordinator Sarah Mell said. "Being able to go to an outside person and say, 'Can you help?' is an important thing to be able to do." It's starting a conversation across our region about bar safety, and H.O.P.E Works in Burlington is looking to increase sexual violence prevention education at places that serve alcohol. Mell said it's important because a bar is a very high-rish environment. "The No. 1 weapon used in sexual assault is alcohol," Mell said. She hopes to partner with bars for a sexual assault training. "What are some resources you can offer someone if they come to you and say, 'Oh my gosh. This Tinder date is not going well. I really just need to get out of here,'" Mell said. Mule Bar in Winooski has already trained its bar staff to recognize and prevent sexual assault. "It's important to us that while people are dining here, they feel comfortable so when there is a code word, that's great. We hope it never gets to that point," bar manager Matthew Farkas said. "We check in at tables. We consistently converse with people so we know what's going on so we can spot if there's a first date or an awkward date." He said the staff also has a plan in case they need to intervene. "We are all trained and aware that if someone needs a ride home, we can get an Uber," Farkas said. Mell also hopes to spread a message to all bargoers. "What I would love is for folks to recognize it's all of our responsibility to name sexually aggressive behaviors that could lead to sexual violence when we see them." Bar owners can reach out to H.O.P.E. Works to set up a training.