Who Are You?
Are You An Active Bystander?
Be an Active Bystander
A bystander is someone who witnesses a conflict or unacceptable behavior. We all witness scenarios everyday (some harmless, some potentially harmful), this makes us all bystanders. A bystander knows when a situation is destructive and likely to worsen. When we make decisions about what we observe, we can choose to take action and become an Active Bystander.
What is an Active Bystander?
An Active Bystander witnesses an event that is harmful or potentially harmful and does not chose to passively walk away. An Active Bystander does something about it!
When we take action, we…
- Positively impact all parties involve- the person experiencing and carrying out the act
- Effectively diffuse a potentially disastrous outcome
- Demonstrate a commitment to our fellow community members, by helping to create a community where people care about one another
- Encourage others to take action
- Hold ourselves accountable for the well-being of our entire community
- Take a stand against unjust actions
An Active Bystander:
- Assesses a situation to determine what kind of help, if any is appropriate.
- Evaluates options and chooses a strategy for responding
- Safely carries out intervention
Why is it important to act?
Taking action before a situation escalates can make an environment safer for everyone involved.
When we…
- Walk away
- Ignore a problem
- Assume someone else will handle it
- Think “its none of my business”
We contribute to harmful behavior and support unequal treatment. We chose to operate in a system that marginalizes and oppresses vulnerable people through violence and discrimination.
