Bystander Action

Sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking impact many people on college campuses. Nationally, it’s estimated that one in five women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime and that they are most vulnerable between the ages of 16 and 24. College-aged women and men also experience relationship abuse at high rates. As a friend or peer, you may wonder what you can do to help.

Bystanders

First, most people don’t commit sexual assault or hurt their partners. Celebrating that is one part of the solution. Another important part is learning to recognize the signs that someone is in danger and stepping in to prevent it. This is called being an active bystander.

The 5 D's of bystander action.

Direct

Being “direct” means you are safe and comfortable speaking directly to the person who is causing harm, or the person being targeted.  Saying something like, “stop”, “chill out”, or asking, “Are you okay?”, are examples of being direct.

Distract

Distracting the situation means you do something that allows the parties time to shift their focus, which can prevent harm.  Actions such as changing the subject of conversation, asking for directions, or diverting attention away from the harmful behavior are examples of a distraction. Distracting can be a subtle way of descalating a situation and decreasing the likelihood of harm. 

Delegate

When you are not comfortable or feel unsafe to intervene directly, you can enlist the help of others. You can ask a friend of one of the people involved to intervene, or you can ask the host of the party.  You can also get an authority figure, such as an RA or the police, to help.  Delegating is a way to ensure some level of intervention. 

Document

Finally, if you are not sure what else to do or you don’t have anyone to delegate to, you can document what happened to report later to someone who may be in a better position to help. If you have a phone, you can record the situation, or if on campus, call the anonymous threatline through Kent State University police at 330-672-SAFE (7233). You can also fill out the anonymous reporting form for the university.  Always remember to check in with the person who was harmed before you share any videos.

Delay

If you delay intervention, it is because you do not feel the situation requires more immediate attention.  When this is the case, always go back later and check in with the person who was being targeted or the person who may have caused harm.  Talk with them about what you noticed and ask if they are ok, or let them know you were concerned.