Bystander intervention is a strong peer to peer tool that students can use to intervene when they see an unsafe situation. There are many ways you can step in to divert potential harm to one or both parties, and it is especially useful in preventing occurrences of sexual assault and dating violence on the UW-Madison campus. Stepping in can be a difficult thing to do, but there are several ways that you can make a strong stance against unsafe situations. Taking a stand against questionable behavior is one way that you can support others in making healthy decisions.
I am certain that most students during their academic careers have been at a party or the bars and seen behavior that warrants attention from others. It might be that you did not want to interfere with someone else's business or you did not know how to be of help without upsetting someone. These are reasonable concerns that you might have when stepping in, but we owe it to one another to intervene when a situation is of concern. I believe that students understand when a situation becomes unsafe, and many times it includes alcohol or other intoxicants.
Recognizing an unsafe situation is the first step to being able to intervene when necessary. The most recognizable situation is when someone appears to be too intoxicated to make decisions that are in their best interest. This might mean going home for the night with someone they do not know, or overhearing the intentions of the escort that would place the intoxicated person at an elevated risk of being sexually assaulted. I know many people might question how one can know if the situation would lead to such a devastating outcome, but checking in with both parties to clarify will certainly cause less harm than if things were later to get out of hand.
There are some simple tips that you can use when intervening in an unsafe situation. While it may be nerve wracking to approach a stranger, it is important to approach everyone as a friend and to remain calm. Hostility will only elevate the tension, so making sure that you use non-violent language and behaviors is important. You should also remain honest and direct with people, so there is not anything lost in translation. Recruiting others around you to help is also a great way to make your intentions clear. Asking others around you if they notice something amiss is a good way to gauge the situation and they can also help support you in stepping in. Of course, if things become hostile, it is always important to remove yourself and others from the situation and locate support from local law enforcement.
While displaying the above behaviors and demeanor, you can employ the following strategies when it is necessary to take action and prevent an unsafe situation. Stepping in and separating the parties is a good first step, but you should also let them know your concerns and that you are acting in the interest of keeping both people safe. If directly stating your concerns is too intimidating, you can create a distraction and redirect the aggressors' behavior by asking them to talk with you, or you can offer to go with them to get another drink. Both of these might be intimidating if you were to do so alone, so making sure that you have friends that will support you is important. Your friends could create the distraction and direct both people in opposite directions, or approaching the situation with more than one person can make it resonate more clearly that you want to address what is occurring. These are just a few of the basic ways you can support your peers in unsafe situations.
Intervening is one of the most powerful things you can do in the prevention of sexual assault and dating violence. There are many situations that can be approached before they get out of hand, and it is important that you remember that the actions of one person or a group of people can make a difference. Looking out for one another is a great way to support a healthy campus community and end the cycle of sexual violence that is all too prevalent on our campus. Stand up, step in, and create a world without sexual violence.
Jared Selley is the Peer Education Coordinator for PAVE. To contact PAVE, email uwpaveoutreach@gmail.com. Please send all responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
