Over a decade ago, I signed up to become a Harassment Support Advisor. We’re there when someone uses the Report & Support system, to offer an ear and signpost useful procedures and systems that the University has in place, all without judgement and in a completely confidential setting.  

Over the years I’ve attended a myriad of courses to strengthen my knowledge, on topics such as domestic violence and mental health and support. I have also met with various teams across the University who offer support, such as the Counselling Service and Mediation team. 

One of the courses I attended that I always come back to, that I’ve found one of the most useful to recommend to those I meet with, is Active Bystander Training.  

Active Bystander Training equips you with the skills and confidence to intervene safely and effectively when you witness inappropriate, harmful, or discriminatory behaviour. It not only helps you identify when something is wrong, but also helps you identify the best way to deal with it. It means that as a bystander witnessing something that makes you feel uncomfortable, concerned or worried, you know what your options are. Rather than feeling helpless, you are enabled to act. 

And in doing so, you become an ally, helping our community feel safe.  

In understanding what harmful behaviour looks like, we can recognise both overt acts of discrimination and those that are more subtle; the little comments or actions that might seem innocuous, but that can have a significant impact on self-worth and sense of belonging. It’s incredibly useful both at work, study and at home. It’s enabled me to feel confident enough to have some very awkward conversations (even if I’m not sure I felt comfortable about it!). 

What’s perhaps not so obvious, is that it is also useful for the victim of the act. The tools it teaches – the 4Ds – can be just as helpful to the person experiencing the discrimination, as they are to someone witnessing it. This means that both the bystander and the victim then have the tools and the confidence to act.   

Challenging this behaviour might seem scary, but it doesn’t have to be. And in doing so, we help build this University community we’re all part of. We help our staff and students feel safe, respected, and empowered. I want to know that my colleagues, the students I deal with, those I pass on Oxford Road, feel safe and accepted here.  

The University offers Active Bystander training to both staff and students, through the EDI Directorate.  

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