These suggestions encompass a variety of ... is intended to provide some tools for being an active bystander while recognizing that there is Being a member of the University at Albany community involves respecting our community standards and holding each other accountable as active bystanders when these standards are being violated. If you hear, “I don’t see your color” an active bystander or active self could respond, “That expression stops us from talking about how difficult it can be to live in this country while black;” or “I want you to see me and my [part of your identity]. Let’s recap the four Ds of bystander intervention: 1. Recent use of lethal violence by police with George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, as well as other such incidents, highlights the need to better understand and help reduce the occurrence of violence in police activities. Witnessing or hearing about violence can be an upsetting experience. Breaking the silence - preventing harassment and sexual misconduct. Do not pressure them to take actions, or tell them what they "should" do. Do not investigate the incident, press for more information, or take actions to resolve the matter yourself. At some point, we will register someone in danger. Being an active bystander requires a lot of emotional labour, which is why it’s important to pick and choose your interventions wisely! Being an active bystander can make all the difference and save lives. Workshops are designed to equip all students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to be an active bystander. When someone you know or care about experiences a form of sexual violence or sexual harassment, you may experience a range of feelings, including anxiety about how best to help them. Safely intervening sometimes means using distractions to stop someone from causing another person emotional or physical harm. Bystander is a word used in emergency services to mean an innocent person who is in the proximity of an incident. It’s important to note that being an active bystander often takes privilege. Express care and concern for the person's safety and well-being. The PATH to Care Center has downloadable resources on their, Sometimes in the moment, it can be hard to know exactly how to respond. Before stepping in, try the ABC approach. An “active bystander” is someone who witnesses harassment, bullying, microaggressions, or other harmful or inappropriate behavior and chooses to intervene to stop the behavior and help the person or people affected regain composure or get away from the harmful situation. Distract 4. It can be someone who sees a car accident, a heart attack, or a fight. The impact they have on people can be hugely detrimental – leading to stress, anxiety and mental health problems. Or you could take the second option – decide that you’re going to get involved and be an active bystander. Bears That Care is a program on campus that offers workshops on bystander intervention facilitated by peer educators. University and Colleges work, Prevention & support initiatives overview, Personal relationships between students and staff, How the University This PDF contains a recap of each of the four D's and some examples of interventions you can do. Contact their office at 510-642-1988 to make an appointment. Being an active bystander means being aware of when someone’s behaviour is inappropriate or threatening and choosing to challenge it. Distract: you can engage the person being targeted to distract and deescalate the situation. When this happens, we can choose to say or do something, be an active bystander, or to simply let it go and remain a passive bystander. Safe: Keep yourself and others safe. When it comes to intervening safely, remember the four Ds – direct, distract, delegate, delay. Interrupt the behavior. Offer resources and information without pressure or judgment about their decisions. Other times, it means asking friends, staff, or the police for help. Come along to this short session to find out why this happens and what it means to be an active bystander. Tip: You can ask the survivor if they would like to speak with a confidential advocate at the PATH to Care Center. At some point, we will register someone in danger. Sometimes, we may only be able to watch helplessly. The responsibility for the assault lies with the person who caused the harm, regardless of the survivor's actions leading up to, during, or after the incident. An active bystander DOES SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Delegate 3. We can be active bystanders and call out coercive behaviour. We also provide … Direct. It is also referred to as being an active bystander - someone who notices the potential for harm to occur and takes action to interrupt the situation and prevent harm. Experiencing violence may make a person feel as if they have lost some agency over what happens next, and it is important not to compound this by adding pressure to do things they do not want to do or is not yet ready to do. It might be comments made by a friend that you feel are inappropriate or you spot someone being harassed at a party or club. questions. Practice self-compassion. Learning to recognise when someone is in danger and how you can intervene safely is an essential skill. It is common for Responsible Employees to be unsure of what to say. Learning to recognize when someone is in danger and how you can safely intervene in potentially dangerous situations is an essential skill that will help you and your friends stay safe. How to be an active bystander How you respond as a bystander will depend on many factors including who is involved, the severity of the behavior, and the setting in which the incident occurred. If you’d like to attend email us at mandala@dmu.ac.uk • Interpret it as a problem: Do I recognize that someone needs help? If someone approaches you to discuss an incident of SVSH, you can respond with care and compassion. When this happens, we will decide to do or say something (and become an active bystander), or to simply let it go (and remain a passive bystander). And remember, never put yourself in danger. Allow the survivor to share what they want, when they want. It is also referred to as being an active bystander - someone who notices the potential for harm to occur and takes action to interrupt the situation and prevent harm. Visit sa.berkeley.edu/btc to learn more and request a workshop. A "bystander" is a person who witnesses a boundary violation or sees a situation in which a child is vulnerable.Active bystanding is key for preventing child sexual abuse.Intervening or taking preventative measures as a bystander can mean the difference between a child being sexually abused or being protected from abuse. The answers won't change what's happened. Here are some tips: More information for Responsible Employees can be found on our Responsible Employee page. If the survivor wants to seek medical attention or report the assault, you can offer to accompany them wherever they need to go (e.g., hospital, police station, campus security, etc.). WE ARE DELIVERING ‘ACTIVE BYSTANDER’ TRAINING REMOTELY DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK. If needed, seek outside resources to help you get through this difficult time: you could talk to a counselor, your community, a close friend, or hotline - just make sure that you respect the survivor's privacy. PLEASE GET IN TOUCH TO BOOK YOUR SESSION. If you are concerned for the safety of yourself or others, you can choose a more indirect form of being an active bystander. Some simple steps to becoming an Active Bystander: • Notice the situation: Be aware of your surroundings. Every day events unfold around us. Don't tell the survivor what to do. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." Sometimes, a situation just does not feel right. Safely intervening could mean anything from a disapproving look, interrupting or distracting someone, not laughing at a sexist or a violent joke, talking to a friend about their behaviour in a non-confrontational way to caring for a friend who’s experienced problematic behaviour. • Know what to do: Educate yourself on what to do. This also gives the targeted person space to say, “I don’t know you” or choose to engage with the bystander. Remember, being an active bystander is not a superhero approach, and not only in terms of physical safety. You can be an active bystander online by using the suggestions in the toolkit and video. Regardless of which way you choose to be an active bystander there are three important rules. The, Addressing Sexual Violence & Sexual Harassment, Ways to Help Someone and Be an Active Bystander, Coordinated Community Review Team (CCRT) and Core Team, Special Faculty Advisor to the Chancellor on SVSH, Urgent 24/7 Support Care Line: 510-643-2005, Responsible Employees Gold Folder: Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment, Nondiscrimination Policy and Accessibility. Help calm strong feelings. Many incidents of violence and harm occur in the presence of bystanders - people who witness an incident but are not directly involved. The University of New Hampshire provides some simple steps to help students become active bystanders: Be aware of your surroundings. Affirm that they deserve support, and offer the option of connecting with resources. Assess the risk of direct intervention. Check in with the person to know if they are comfortable having this conversation where you are, or if they would like to find a quieter or more private space. Due to your Responsible Employee obligations, offer to leave the space to allow the person to speak with the advocate confidentially. If they would like, you may call the 24/7 urgent support Care Line at 510-643-2005 together. When we take action, we … positively impact not only the people experiencing, but also those committing a harmful act. Point to the "elephant in the room". You're not alone, this is more common for many of us than you might think. Frequently asked How You Can Intervene Safely: If you do not feel comfortable doing this directly, then get someone to help you such as a friend or someone in authority. You can become part of the solution in making the Berkeley community safer and more inclusive for everyone. Do not express doubt or put blame on the person for what happened. It is important to keep your own safety in mind any time you are choosing to be an active bystander. You can take action to prevent violence. and Colleges work. If such messages are constantly reinforced within our community, we can shift the boundaries of what is considered acceptable and problem behaviour can be stopped. Be an Active Bystander. Put your body and reputation on the line to protect the victim, however you can. If you do not feel comfortable handling this directly, then get someone to help you such as a friend, a member of security or the Police. Research shows that bystander intervention can be an effective way of stopping sexual assault before it happens, as bystanders play a key role in preventing, discouraging, and/or intervening when an act of violence has the potential to occur. 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