You witness someone being harassed in public because of their identity. What’s worse than the harassment itself? Possibly being surrounded by people who see it happen but do nothing about it.
But intervening as a bystander can be challenging. What can you do?
Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, or Direct.
The "5Ds of Bystander Intervention" is a simple toolkit than can help build confidence in standing up and intervening. The 5Ds above are different methods you can use to support someone who’s being harassed, emphasise that harassment is not okay, and demonstrate to people in your life that they have the power to make their community safer.
They are designed to be safe and not to escalate situations.
Distract the harasser with subtle creativity. Delegate the duty to someone nearby or in authority. Document with the permission of the person being harassed. Delay by offering post-incident support. Direct intervention requires calling out the harasser with caution as needed.
For more information and detailed descriptions of the 5Ds above, visit https://righttobe.org/guides/bystander-intervention-training/