Who We Are

Our Story

Safe Bars RVA is a program of Safe Harbor, a Henrico-based nonprofit which serves survivors of sexual and domestic violence and human trafficking. We are a collective of hospitality workers and sexual violence prevention professionals aiming to address the issue of sexual assault/harassment originating in places that serve alcohol. Our goal is to increase safe(r) nightlife experiences for folks in the greater Richmond region.

The program started in 2019 when Kailie Smith, then the front of house manager at a local restaurant, sought ways to empower staff both experiencing and witnessing harassment. She found Safe Bars, a DC-based organization. The training turned out to be financially prohibitive for one restaurant, but Kailie instead established a whole Richmond chapter, assembling a team of 16 bartenders and violence prevention professionals. Together they put on a whole summer of grassroots fundraisers. They were trained in December 2019 and completed 3 trainings before the Covid pandemic hit, and they were forced to shut down for almost 18 months. During that time, Kailie worked with the Executive Director at Safe Harbor, Cathy Easter, on a Virginia Dept. of Health grant for Safe Bars. They worked together so well that Cathy hired Kailie as the Director of Outreach, Education, and Community Engagement at Safe Harbor starting in November 2021. Despite the pause due to the Covid pandemic, Safe Bars RVA, under Kailie's leadership, resumed operations in 2021, conducting over 20 trainings at various locations in Richmond, Norfolk, and Williamsburg.

Expanding beyond bars, the program now includes coffee shops and campus organizations in its outreach.

The Team