What Can You DO as a Bystander?

Previously known as Hollaback!, the nonprofit organization now holds the name Right To Be. Their original mission was to collect stories of street harassment, but when the number of stories on harassment incidents increased drastically, Right To Be began to create trainings and platforms for victims to tell their stories. In short, their goal is to "build a world where everyone has the Right To Be who they are, wherever they are. A world that's free of harassment and filled with humanity."

One of the most significant, famous, and impactful part of Right To Be is the 5 D's of Bystander Intervention Training. As a bystander, Right To Be believes that there are five strategies you can take to protect yourself and those around you. Known as the 5 D's, they include distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct.

Let's talk about what each represents, and think to yourself if you ever witness a harassment attack or a situation with verbal abuse, which of the five would you use?

DISTRACT: Create a distraction to deescalate the situation

DELEGATE: Check in with the victim of harassment before contacting the police

DOCUMENT: Record the incident from a distance to assess your own safety

DELAY: Wait and stand next to the victim to protect them

DIRECT: Create a boundary by telling the harasser to stop and by caring for the victim

With these 5 D’s and the power of social media, the spread of awareness can transfer rapidly, informing students, parents, celebrities, news reporters, and journalists within the entire nation. Furthermore, these methods from a bystander view rely on perceived behavior control as the comfort of safety depends on you.

If you are and feel comfortable in performing one of these 5D's, then speak up and act out. Your words and actions can influence those around you, including your friends, families, or even strangers, to intervene when they see other harassment attacks. Be an effective and intelligent bystander!