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UCLA Rape Treatment Center outlines 24/7 services and bystander training required by West Hollywood ordinance
Summary
UCLA’s Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center told the Public Safety Commission it provides free 24/7 acute medical care, trauma‑informed therapy and prevention training; the center said 84% of immediate care cases involve alcohol or another substance and that West Hollywood’s 2021 ordinance has trained more than 3,500 nightlife employees.
Marissa Fainad, a licensed clinical social worker with the UCLA Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center, told the West Hollywood Public Safety Commission on June 22 that the center provides three free services: acute medical care (including forensic evidence kits), follow‑up medical care and trauma‑informed mental‑health therapy.
Fainad said the center is available around the clock and can arrange transportation to Santa Monica for medical care. “We are open 24 hours a day,” she said, adding that counselors accompany patients to medical exams so survivors understand their options.
The presentation focused on the center’s bystander/nightlife training, required in West Hollywood by a 2021 city ordinance for on‑site alcohol establishments. Fainad said the program has trained more than 3,500 employees who serve alcohol in the city and that post‑training surveys show 75% of attendees had previously witnessed conduct that made them uncomfortable. She also said, “When we do see individuals who come for care in the immediate aftermath of sexual violence, 84% of those cases have alcohol or another type of substance.”
Commissioners pressed staff and the presenter on implementation and compliance. Staff explained the ordinance requires covered employees (bartenders, servers, security and management) to take the training once every three years and that the Neighborhood and Business Safety Division plans spot checks and quarterly reporting to track adherence. Commissioners and the presenter discussed ways to broaden outreach to party promoters, cannabis dispensaries, recreation programs and to include the center’s contact information in transit and pickup‑bus signage.
Fainad said the center provides culturally competent care and specialized nursing for transgender patients, and that training is offered virtually at no cost to the city or business owners. The commission also discussed a continuing backlog and variable processing times for rape kits; staff and the center said kit tracking was being implemented and that processing times depend on which crime lab is used, often averaging two to three months.
The commission did not take formal action on the presentation; commissioners asked staff to continue coordination with UCLA and consider public outreach, signage and incentives (such as a “safe bar” recognition) to increase participation and visibility for businesses that complete the training.
The commission will consider further outreach and follow‑up reports as staff coordinates implementation details.
