How to intervene safely
Directly
- Tell the perpetrator to stop their behavior in the moment.
- Say, "I feel ______ when you _______. Please don't do that anymore."
- Intervene with a group.
- Say, "I hope no one ever talks about you like that" or "What if someone said that about your friend."
- Discuss consequences of the situation with the person.
- Ask a friend in a potentially dangerous situation if he or she wants to leave and then make sure he or she gets home safely. Know when to find a safe exit strategy.
Indirectly
- Distract the person; e.g. Ask a man harassing a woman on the street for directions or the time.
- Delegate by talking to someone who has more social power like a bouncer, bartender or resident assistant. Other strategies include engaging other bystanders by saying "You go do ____," calling the police or yelling for help and calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 860-656-4673.
- Delay by trying to intervene as early as possible. If it's not safe, talk to the person after the event has happened. Ask the victim if he or she is okay. Provide options and be a listening ear.
Source: Stand Up! Bystander Intervention flyer
Picture this: A girl who is intoxicated is being led out the door by a guy at a party. You’re in their way. Do you move to let them go through or confront the people you don't know?
Allison Wynbissinger, a Ball State victim advocate, wants to make this question easier to answer. She teaches the Stand Up! Bystander Intervention training sessions.
These sessions teach people to be active bystanders and to intervene in situations where a person’s safety is in jeopardy. These situations can include sexual, verbal or physical assault.
The training sessions have been offered five times this semester. There will be another one on Dec. 1 from 6:30-9 p.m. in the Student Center Forum Room.
Wynbissinger said everyone has the ability to be an effective bystander, but the training gives people the tools they need to confidently be one.
Bystander intervention is an issue that is relevant on college campuses. One in four to five women in college will be a victim of rape, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
Students should intervene in situations where something doesn’t feel right, Wynbissinger said.
“Bystanders truly have the power to stop a sexual assault from happening and preventing another human being from a very traumatic experience,” she said.
Emily Hart, a natural resources and environmental management graduate student, participated in a Nov.11 training session. She said she liked that the session included all possible relationship situations and location scenarios.
Claire Kochmer, co-teacher for Stand Up! Bystander Intervention Training, said she wants the idea of a bystander to culturally evolve into that of an active bystander.
“It is important to me that bystander culture changes at Ball State. I hope that the training empowers students to step in when they see situations that they perceive as unsafe for their peers,” Kochmer said.
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