Being an Active Bystander
May 28, 2021 - Have you ever witnessed a community member being treated unfairly? Have you seen someone being discriminated against and not known how to respond? Have you observed a situation which made you uncomfortable, but you were unsure if you should intervene? What can you safely do as an individual to use your position to stand up for others?
Bystander Intervention is the act of recognizing a potentially harmful situation and intervening in a way that could influence a more positive outcome. Being an Active Bystander means that when you are a confronted with a problematic situation, you analyze the situation and determine the best way to assist. Intervening in someone else’s harassment or personal situation can be scary. There are many trainings online, such as this one through Hollaback, which offer free virtual training on the following topics:
- Standing Up Against Gender-Based Street Harassment.
- Intervention Training for Youth.
- Bystander Intervention in the Workplace.
- Stop Anti-Black Harassment.
- Stop Anti-LGBTQ+ Harassment.
- Addressing Anti-Asian American and Xenophobic Harassment.
- Stopping Stigma Around Learning Differences.
- How to be an Ally When You Witness Online Abuse.
Other tips for being an Active Bystander can be found here.
Being an Active Bystander takes planning. You should know how you will respond before you witness harassment. It is a proactive process. Be inspired to stand up, step up, and step in!
The following books will help to encourage you and your kids to stand up against harassment and be an Active Bystander:
I Didn't Stand Up by Lucy Falcone
We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders: a memoir of love and resistance by Linda Sansour
Katie Larson, Library Aide
May 28, 2021
