It takes guts to be an active bystander

Have you ever witnessed someone being harassed or bullied and weren’t sure what to do? Do you want to feel prepared to act next time? Learn how to be an active bystander and trust your gut when you see something wrong.

Ever heard of the Bystander Effect? It happens when onlookers don’t react to intense situations if others around them aren’t reacting, even if their gut tells them they should. We tend to base our actions on everyone else’s reactions. If a crowd of people are pretending like nothing is happening, we’re likely to follow suit. That is, unless we're prepared to do something.

There are lots of good times to be an active bystander. If you witness violence, vandalism, bullying, or derogatory statements being made and much more. Bystander intervention doesn’t mean putting yourself in danger, but using the tools at your disposal when your gut tells you to act. 

UCalgary offers Bystander Intervention Training to teach you the skills needed to diffuse a situation that goes against our values as a campus community. Find a session and register for Bystander Intervention Training. Have questions? Email bystander@ucalgary.ca.