Be the Change: Powerful Bystander Intervention Strategies for a More Welcoming London
A large part of our mandate as the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership is to make our community more welcoming for all. We do this through initiatives that promote anti-racism, anti-discrimination and the reduction of systemic barriers. Understanding how to effectively intervene as a bystander is one of the ways you can contribute to these efforts as a member of the community.
Bystander intervention involves recognizing a potentially harmful situation or interaction and choosing to respond in a way that assists the victim. Below, we will offer some tips for how to intervene in public instances of harassment, based on race, ethnicity, and religion, while considering the safety of all parties.
DO: Make your presence as a witness known
If it is possible, make eye contact with the person being harassed and ask if they want support. Move yourself near the person being harassed, if you feel safe to do so. If you feel that it is safe to do so, create distance between the person being harassed and the attacker.
DO: Document the event
If it safe to do so, film or record the incident. You can then share the film or recording after the event with the person being harassed or post it if you have the consent of the person being harassed.
DO: Take cues from the individual being harassed
Determine whether the person is engaging with the harasser or not. You can make suggestions such as: "Would you like to walk with me over here? Would you like to move to another seat? Would you like this person to leave you alone?". Always follow the lead of the individual being harassed and take note of if they are resisting in their own way and honour that.
DO: Keep both of you safe
Assess your surroundings - are there others nearby you can pull in to support? Try pointing out the conflict to those around you. Working in a team is a good idea when possible.
DON'T: Escalate the situation
The goal is to get the person being harassed to safety, not to incite further violence from the attacker. Do not intervene in a way that will escalate the situation or make it potentially more dangerous.
DO: Follow up with the individual being harassed after the incident is over
Ask the individual if they need any support and proceed to support them in whatever they request. It is also a good idea to remain at the scene to act as a witness.
DON'T: Do nothing
The most important point is to do something. Do not ignore what is happening. Silence is dangerous as it communicates approval and leaves the victim to fend for themselves. If you find yourself too nervous or afraid to speak out, move closer to the person being harassed to communicate your support.
Creating a more welcoming community starts with all of us. We have the power to demonstrate anti-racist and anti-discriminatory behaviour on a daily basis. These bystander tips are some tools that we can all keep in our back pocket to use if we are ever faced with a situation where we witness someone being harassed.
Have you ever been in this situation? Have you employed any of these bystander tips in practice? Let us know which approaches you found most effective in the comments below.
For more information and an easy-to-use resource, click here.