LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Neighbors are calling for more safety measures amid violence surrounding Louisville's bar scene.
The Highlands has always had a busy bar scene.
"If you're a single woman wandering down the street back to your house just after going to the bars, walking home, it's scary what could happen to you," said Chelsea McCarty, who's a Highlands resident.
But McCarty said in recent years that this area doesn't seem as safe as it once was, especially after midnight.
"Groups of guys, single guys, walking home, anybody walking home, it's pretty scary," McCarty said.
According to the city's crime map, the bar scene area of the Highlands has had at least three late-night aggravated assaults in the past month.
"It's shocking to me that would happen surrounded by people," McCarty said.
Louisville police told WDRB a “trouble” run, involving a fight, a gun, and a car, also took place in the same area on Saturday.
In August, a triple shooting outside nightclubs on Baxter Avenue in the Highlands killed two people and injured another.
"I know every once in a while they'll have an officer out but that's clearly not enough of a deterrent for violent actions to take place," McCarty said.
Meanwhile, other bars in the city are working with the SAFE Bar Network.
"It's really important for everybody to have the dignity and a space to have a safe night out, whether or not you're consuming alcohol, we're all out for a good time," said Darian Everding, a SAFE Bar Network coordinator.
The nonprofit works with bartenders and teaches them de-escalation skills to prevent overconsumption, harassment and other types of violence.
"We start the conversation on what are the things we've dealt with, and how to apply active bystander skills, being direct, delegating and distracting to make those less elevated or escalated in the future and keep ourselves and our guests safer," Everding said.
McCarty hopes bartenders in the Highlands receive the training too. She also wants to see a larger police presence in the area.
"Bad things shouldn't be happening in our neck of the woods," McCarty said.
The Safe Bar Network has mostly worked with bartenders in NuLu and downtown Louisville. The program does plan on coming back.
For more information about the Safe Bar Network and its' free resources, click here.
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