Bystander Info

Bystander Info

A bystander, or witness, is someone who sees a situation but may or may not know what to do, may think others will act or may be afraid to do something. Bystander education programs teach potential witnesses safe and positive ways that they can act to prevent or intervene when there is a risk for sexual violence. Furthermore a bystander is any person who is present at an event or incident but does NOT take part.

Five Steps Toward Taking Action

  1. Notice the event along a continuum of actions.
  2. Consider whether the situation demands your action.
  3. Decide if you have a responsibility to act.
  4. Choose what form of assistance to use.
  5. Understand how to implement the choice safely.

Rules for Bystander Intervention

  1. Do NOT put yourself at risk.
  2. Do NOT make the situation worse.
  3. Intervene at the earliest point possible.
  4. Look for early warning signs of trouble!
  5. Intervening does not necessarily mean confronting.
  6. Ask for help!

Three D's of Bystander Intervention

  1. Direct: Directly intervening, in the moment, to prevent a problem situation from happening
  2. Delegate: Seeking help from another individual, often someone who is authorized to represent others, such as a police officer or campus official.
  3. Distract: Interrupting the situation without directly confronting the offender.

Contact

Kristy DeBord, PHR, SHRM-CP
Title IX Coordinator
Director of Human Resources
Burgess Administration Building
770-720-9146
Kristy.DeBord@reinhardt.edu