The role of the bystander

A bystander is a witness to harassment, assault or abuse, and they have a powerful role to play. It is common for bystanders to rely on someone else to react, rather than jumping in first to assist, this is known as the Bystander effect or Bystander apathy. This effect can be particularly strong in larger group settings or online.

Possible reasons for the Bystander effect:

• The bystander believes someone else will act
• The bystander feels it is too risky to intervene
• The bystander isn’t sure what to do

You can help to avoid the Bystander effect by taking steps to be an Active bystander. An Active bystander is someone who sees unacceptable behaviour and steps in to help. Being an Active bystander challenges the culture of harassment and can reduce the trauma experienced by those involved. There are many ways to help, consider which approach is most appropriate and safe for you by reading the 5Ds below.

The 5Ds give you options for being an Active bystander:

• DISTRACT – Engage directly with the person who is being harassed and talk to them about something completely unrelated to the harassment. Ignore the harasser.
• DELEGATE – Ask someone nearby, who could have authority in the space, to help you intervene. Tell them clearly what you’d like them to do.
• DOCUMENT – Record or take notes, but only if someone is already helping the person being harassed. Always ask the person what they want to do with your documentation.
• DELAY – Even after harassment, you can help someone by checking in on them, asking if they’re ok, or if there’s anything you can do to support them.
• DIRECT – After assessing your safety and ensuring you are not going to escalate the incident, respond directly by naming the inappropriate behavior and confronting the person doing harm.

There is no wrong or right choice of which of the 5Ds to use, it may need to be different every time. The type of Bystander action you take might depend on the environment, the people involved, and your own sense of safety.

If you would like to know more about how you can intervene as a bystander, you can find more information on the Right to Be website.