A NEW INITIATIVE is being launched to help young people recognise “problematic behaviour” in a bid to combat sexual harassment on nights out.

Minister for Arts and Culture, Patrick O’Donovan, announced today that an online course is being made available to teach effective “bystander intervention” skills to 18- to 24-year-olds. 

5,000 places are being made available initially on the one-hour session.

The free-of-charge ‘All Right All Night’ course is being run by University College Cork (UCC) as part of its existing Bystander Intervention Programme which works to prevent sexual harassment and violence on and off campus.

It has been successfully trialled in schools, youth clubs and sports clubs and is now being implemented nationwide, according to the press release announceing the new online course. 

Minister O’Donovan says the course will provide a “safer night-time environment” for young people, a key priority of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce.  

The taskforce was established in 2021 to address issues arising in Ireland’s nightlife sector in response to the devastating impacts of Covid lockdowns.

Among the recommendations made to it was creating new ways of improving the safety of women and girls while out socialising.

O’Donovan says it is important for young people to know how to safely intervene or seek assistance if they see a vulnerable person in trouble.

He added: “I want to encourage young people to take part in this important training which has the potential to make a positive difference in our society and bring about a real change in attitudes and behaviours, particularly in a night-time context.”

Professor Louise Crowley from UCC says the course aims to change the culture around ensuring everyone can enjoy a night out safely.

“The ability to better recognise problematic behaviour and the associated capacity to make safe and effective interventions will encourage and enable participants to contribute to an improved culture of respect and safety for all young people on nights out.”