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You often hear the phrase “See something, say something” but what does that actually mean? In this article we share with you how to be an active bystander and practice safe bystander intervention.
What is bystander intervention?
Bystander intervention is the interruption of potential harm or violence by a witness to the incident. It is an active way to prevent harm which is why it is often referred to as being an active bystander. These incidents can go from in-action violence to someone simply looking uncomfortable around a person that is with them.
How to be an active bystander
It is rather simple to be an active bystander, but it takes a good level of awareness of your surroundings and the reading of people’s body language. First, you need to recognize a potentially harmful situation. After that, you have to decide to act which can be hard depending on how violent a situation is due to the fight-flight-freeze response. Finally, you have to intervene in a safe and effective manner and follow up on the situation and the people involved if needed.
The CARE model
The CARE model is a strategy for active bystanders. It goes as follows:
C – Create a distraction
A – Ask directly
R – Refer to an authority
E – Enlist others
Those are all the ways you can help someone in a potentially harmful situation. Your own safety is always a priority as well, so if you can’t act on a situation alone ask other bystanders for help or refer to an authority in whatever space you’re in.
We hope this article could shine a better light on how to be an active bystander. If you want us to make a more in-depth article on how to spot these situations better, let us know! We’re always trying to bring you content that will help you.
Sources:
https://svsh.berkeley.edu/prevention-engagement/ways-help-someone-and-be-active-bystander
