Arizona Safer Bars Alliance aims to train bar employees to prevent sexual assaults

PHOENIX - The state of Arizona is trying to prevent sexual assaults before they happen through a program called Arizona Safer Bars Alliance.

It’s a study with the Arizona Safer Bars Alliance that many young people on Mill Avenue support wholeheartedly, but now a $3 million grant will study the impact it has had on universities.

ASBA offers training that spots and stops assaults before they happen, especially in bars. 

While the state program started in 2012, researchers at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University will be looking into 56 bars a mile from UA, ASU and NAU.

The training is five hours of learning body language and aggressive behavior.

Bars in downtown Tucson, Flagstaff and Tempe have already participated. In order to be a part of the alliance, the business must have 70 percent of staff who interact with people going into the bar trained.