Dear John,
Before we get going with our next D of Bystander Intervention, let's check in! Have you had any trouble understanding, or even implementing
Distract,
Delegate, or
Delay? Reply to this email, and let us know your thoughts, suggestions, or questions!
Now on to day 4: Direct!
You may want to directly respond to harassment by naming what is happening or confronting the person who is harassing. This tactic can be risky. Before you decide to respond directly, assess the situation. If all checks out, some things you can say to the person who is harassing are:
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“That’s inappropriate, disrespectful, not okay, etc.”
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“Leave them alone.”
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“That’s homophobic, racist, (insert type of harassment), etc.”
The most important thing here is to keep it short and succinct. If the person who is harassing responds, try your best to assist the person who was being harassed instead.
Direct intervention is the most risky of the 5 D's, so always remember to assess your safety first. If you don't feel safe -- pick a less direct form of intervention.
love,
Hollaback!
