Learn about the ABCs for Active Bystanders & the 5 Ds of Bystander Intervention
Bystander Intervention
A — Assess for Safety
Make sure all parties are safe and take notice if other folks may need to get involved. It is more difficult to help someone at risk if you, yourself, are unsafe. See how you can intervene, safely.
B — Be with Others
If it is safe to intervene, your influence will be greater with another person or with a group of people. Your safety is also increased when you are with a group of people that you know.
C — Care for the Impacted
Ask the impacted person if they are okay. Assess if they need medical attention and seek additional aid. Provide support by giving them information about relevant resources or supports. If they want to file a report, offer to stay on and act as a witness, if you can. info via @wgssa.utsc #StudentsAgainstRapeCulture
We’d also like to highlight this FREE Zine Resource: a pocket-size guide with the ABCs & 5 Ds of Bystander Intervention, created by #StudentsAgainstRapeCulture
In recent history, we ’ ve been witnessing a spike in disrespect, harassment, and hate violence. As bystanders, we must be especially vigilant and aware of what these harms can look like, so that we ’ re ready to stand up and intervene. When we intervene, not only do we reduce the trauma of harassment for the person who was harmed (yes, harassment can cause trauma!)…we also slowly chip away at the culture of harassment, and replace it with one of humanity.
The 5Ds from Right to Be are different methods that you can use to support someone who’s being harassed, emphasize that harassment is not okay, and demonstrate to people in your life that they have the power to make their community safer. Anyone can use the 5Ds! They are designed to be safe and to deescalate situations. In fact, four of them are indirect methods of intervention. We first shared the 5 Ds Framework in December 2023, when we first participated in the Global 16 Days of Activism Against
In 2012, Right to Be partnered with the bystander program Green Dot, who pioneered the Three Ds of bystander intervention, Distract, Delegate, and Direct. RTB worked with Green Dot to develop tools to help people intervene if and as they see harassment occur. In 2015, Right to Be expanded those to include Delay, and in 2017 they expanded them again to include Document. Four of these are indirect intervention methods and ALL of these methods are designed to keep people safe & deescalate violent situations.
But what do these tools actually look like in practice?
Keep reading to learn more about taking action against harassment with the 5 Ds of Bystander Intervention: Distract
Keep reading to learn more about each of the 5 Ds + how to register for free, virtual trainings with Right to Be!
Distract
Distraction is a subtle and creative way to intervene — its aim is simply to derail the incident of harassment by interrupting it.
The keys to good Distraction are:
Ignore the person who is harassing, and engage directly with the person who is being harassed. 1.
Don’t talk about or refer to the harassment that’s happening. Instead, talk about something completely unrelated. 2.
Delegate
Delegation is asking a third party for help with intervening in harassment. The keys to Delegation are: Look for a Delegate who is ready and willing to help. Often, a great choice is the person right next to you. 1. When you Delegate someone to help you, try to tell them as clearly as possible what you ’ re witnessing and how you’d like them to help. 2.
Document
Documentation involves either recording or taking notes on or about an instance of harassment. Having a recording or record of an instance of harassment can be very helpful. The keys to safely & responsibly documenting are:
1.
Assess the situation. Is anyone helping the person being harassed? If not, use another of the 5Ds. Recording someone ’ s experience of harm without ensuring they’re already receiving help can just create further trauma for them. If someone else is already helping out: assess your own safety, and if you are safe, begin documenting.
ALWAYS ask the person who was harassed what they want to do with your recording and/or notes. NEVER post it online or use it without permission. 2.
@CreatingFreedomMovements #MoreJusticeMoreJoy
Delay
Even if we can’t act in the moment, we can still make a difference for someone who’s been harassed by checking in on them after the fact. Many types of harassment happen in passing or very quickly, and it’s not always possible we’ll have a chance to intervene in another way. But we don’t have to just ignore what happened and move on. We can help reduce that person ’ s trauma by speaking to them after an instance of harassment. @CreatingFreedomMovements #MoreJusticeMoreJoy
Direct
Sometimes, we may want to respond directly to harassment by naming the inappropriate behavior confronting the person doing harm. Use this one with caution, because Direct intervention can be risky — the harasser may redirect their abuse towards you, as an intervening bystander, or may escalate the situation in another way.
The first key to Direct Intervention is to assess the situation before you decide to respond. The second key to Direct intervention is to keep it short and succinct. As tempting as it may be, avoid engaging in dialogue, debate, or an argument – since this is how situations can escalate. If the person harassing responds to your Direct intervention, focus your attention on assisting the person who was harmed, instead of engaging with the person doing the harm.
This information was pulled from Right To Be’s 5 D’s for Bystander Intervention framework. Right to Be regularly offers a variety of FREE trainings on Bystander Intervention: from interrupting street harassment, to antisemetic and/or Islamophobic hate, interrupting hate at school or work, and so much more! Learn more about the 5 D’s:
RTB has been working with existing partners in the Allies Solidarity Network to create a Bystander Intervention to Support Immigrant Communities Training which officially launched in March! The first training took place on March 18th, 2025. Register for upcoming trainings through the link above + follow @RightToBeOrg on Instagram!
