05/04/2021
It’s easy to think that our actions don’t make a difference. But that’s just not true.
Small, individual actions add up to BIG change. If we all make the choice to step in when we see something concerning, then fewer of our friends, classmates, and neighbors will be hurt.
Remember: there are more of us who can help than there are who will harm. The more we choose to step in, the more others will, too.
We won’t prescribe how should intervene, we’re just asking that you do. The next time you observe something that isn’t ok: ask yourself… What barriers am I having? Which of the 3Ds can I use to get around them?
If you do, you’ll be helping to create a norm that power-based personal violence will NOT be tolerated, and that each of us can do our part to stop it.
05/03/2021
The good news is that we know ahead of time the reasons why we might not act, so we can mitigate them. There are many ways to intervene, which you can come up with using the 3 Ds:
Be direct:
Ask questions like “Who did you come here with?” or “Would you like me to stay with you?”
Choose to delegate:
It can be intimidating to approach a situation alone, so sometimes the best solution is to ask another party to handle the situation, like a friend, the bartender, or an RA.
Create a distraction:
Interrupt with a non-sequitur “Let’s get Larry’s” or “This party is lame. Let’s try somewhere else.”
Start an activity that draws other people in, like a game, a debate about music, or a dance party.
04/29/2021
Bystanders might be present when sexual assault, or abuse, or stalking occurs—or they could witness the circumstances that lead up to these crimes.
Bystander Intervention is the choice that someone makes to not ignore a concerning situation, and takes some action to prevent the situation from escalating.
People who don’t commit power-based personal violence outnumber those that do by a factor of 20 to 1… 30 to 1… Even 40 to 1. However, those who are hurting others can only do so if the rest of us stay silent and passive.
If we choose to act—even some of the time—we can reduce the number of people who ever have to experience harm. And because the numbers are on our side, we don’t have to do so alone.
04/28/2021
We know that too many people in our community are being harmed–by sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence–and it’s been happening for far too long.
If we are going to seriously reduce the number of those being hurt, then we have to do something a little different. We need to become active bystanders. The good news? You already have the ability to get started.
At some point, you will be a bystander to a potential moment of harm. Whether you’re in the dining hall and walk by a student describing how her partner is always telling her what to do…
..Or you hear a couple arguing through the wall of your apartment
..Or you’re at a party and notice someone cornering a person who is already drunk
..Or you’re with your friends and one of them is getting blown up with texts from his partner and says they won’t stop.
What’s a situation where you got that gut ‘feeling’? Is there a time you observed something that made you think what’s happening wasn't right?
04/30/2020
We are excited to bring you weekly, interactive content to give you a break. We will also include why we chose the activities we did! Today - we are sharing the benefits of journaling - the inspiration for !
@ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
