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3 Active Bystander Skills
The goal of SAFE Bar Training is to build active bystander skills and to have continuous conversations about preventing sexual harassment and assault. This is part of our SAFE Bar Mini Training Series. If you missed the first video, Things to Notice, watch it here, Things To Notice - SAFE Bar Mini Training Series
This video focuses on active bystander skills.
Let’s start with the facts.
Sexual assault is any sexual activity without consent.
Consent is a free, enthusiastic “yes.”
We know that sexual assault is about power and control.
We know from SAFE Bar Training that bar staff and managers are already noticing concerning behavior. The next step is taking action when you notice that someone is uncomfortable or unsafe.
For the longest time we have talked about bystander intervention as though there is only one solution. To put on a cape, be a superhero, and do something directly. Yes, we know that works. You can say something to the person hurt or say something to the person causing the problem. But that is not the only option.
We also know that there are two other options that work just as well.
You can get others to help. Get their friends to help. Ask your outgoing coworker to step in or get a manager involved.
Finally, you can talk about something else or create a distraction. This may seem silly, but it is just as effective. When you create a distraction, you are sending three messages.
You are letting the person causing the problem know, I see you.
You are letting the person being hurt know, I see you. You are giving them a way out of the situation.
You are telling everyone else that is watching that it’s important to you that people have a great time and feel safe.
All three of these options work equally well. The most important thing is that, when you
think of ways to help, you are thinking of things that you will realistically do.
To learn more about active bystander skills check out our blog post, 3 Active Bystander Steps That you can Take.
In our next video we’ll focus on creating a workplace culture where staff notice concerning behavior, interrupt effectively, and offer support.
To learn more about joining the SAFE Bar Network contact us at safebarnetwork@gmail.com
If you have a favorite bar, restaurant or night club encourage them to join the SAFE Bar Network. They can learn more at www.safebarnetwork.org
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault our partners can help. Visit MOCSA.org and RAINN.org
To learn more about the field of sexual violence response and prevention visit PreventConnect.org and NSVRC.org
I loved the point about creating a distraction being "just as effective" – it’s a brilliant, often overlooked tactic to give someone a way out. Sometimes, a simple, engaging distraction can really change the dynamic of a situation. For a fun, harmless diversion, the MeowdoKu Game Online is surprisingly addictive!
It's so true that staff are already "noticing concerning behavior" – it's often about subtle cues and seeing what's happening. Recognizing and interpreting those visual signals is key to bystander intervention. It reminds me how powerful visual information is, and I've been experimenting with an Zeva AI Image Generator lately for creative projects.
This piece really highlights the importance of taking realistic action when you see someone in an uncomfortable situation. Being prepared and feeling your best helps immensely when you need to act. I've found that having good knee brace support can just be a part of feeling ready for my day.
The mention of videos in this series, like the 'Things To Notice' one, is great – visual examples really help reinforce these skills. It's smart to leverage different media types for education. On a related note, if you ever work with various image and video formats, an easy way to convert something like Heic to MP4 can be unexpectedly useful.
I really appreciate how clearly you've outlined these three bystander options, especially starting with the facts. Presenting information in such a structured way makes it very digestible. For anyone who deals with formatting content regularly, a Markdown Converter For Free can be a real time-saver.