Select A Bystander Intervention Method You’d Be Willing To Try Out
We often hear of bystander intervention in the context of acts of violence or aggression we may witness in public. But they can also be effective when we’re eyewitnesses to microaggressions in the workplace. Instead of feeling helpless when you’re overhearing a verbal exchange gone wrong or when you hear a colleague use a derogatory term or tasteless language, for example, commit to take action. Commit to being a disruptor. Here are just a few ways to intervene, courtesy of the anti-harassment champions at Hollaback!:
Distract: Take an indirect approach to de-escalate the situation (e.g., bring up something unrelated to the harasser.)
Delegate: Get help from someone else (e.g., say something to someone nearby who may be in a better position to intervene.)
Direct: Speak up about the harassment. Be firm and clear (e.g., say something like “That’s inappropriate, disrespectful, not okay, etc.”)
There are more ways to intervene (https://www.ihollaback.org/bystander-resources/) and some may be more suitable for a situation than others but if you commit to exploring your options and identifying what works for you ahead of time, you increase the odds of being prepared in the moment.