Step Up! Bystander Intervention - Center for Prevention and Education

Be an Eagle…Step Up!

Have you ever witnessed a situation that did not seem right, but you did not intervene and later wished you had? What if that someone stepped up and helped? What if that someone made a difference in the outcome? What if that someone was you?

Step Up is a prosocial behavior and bystander intervention program that uses workshops and communications to teach community members how to be that someone who steps up and helps others. You can learn more by reviewing some of the materials below and/or by requesting training. After reviewing the tips or attending the training, considering taking our Bystander Intervention pledge.

Step Up! teaches our Eagle community how to:

Notice an Event
Interpret it as a Problem
Assume Personal Responsibility
Know How to Help
The 3 D’s ~ Direct, Distract and Delegate
Implement the Help- Step Up!

The Step Up! Program was developed by the University of Arizona C.A.T.S. Life Skills Program in Partnership with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

How to Step UP!

Step UP is an award-winning (NASPA Gold) bystander intervention program that teaches students how to intervene in problematic situations including alcohol abuse, hazing, depression, sexual assault, discrimination, anger, eating disorders, academic misconduct, and more.

Have you witnessed one of these situations, but were not sure what to do?

Here are five easy steps:

NOTICE THE EVENT.
Be aware of what’s going on around you.
INTERPRET THE EVENT AS A PROBLEM.
Is what you noticed a problem? If yes, is it an urgent issue you must address right away? If you aren’t sure, assume it is a problem and investigate further.
ASSUME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
How can you assume personal responsibility? Acknowledge that if you don’t Step Up! no one else might.
KNOW HOW TO HELP.
The key to intervening effectively is knowing how and when to help, and more importantly, knowing how to help safely. The Step Up program uses the S.E.E.K. Model: SAFE, EARLY, EFFECTIVE, KIND.
- Safe Responding: Choose a course of action that best ensures the safety of those involved, including you!
- Early Intervention: Intervene before a situation becomes a problem.
- Effective Helping:-Check with experts on the best way to talk with a friend.
- Kind Helping: What would the person in distress want? When in doubt, ask them!
STEP UP! DIRECT. DISTRACT. DELEGATE.

- Direct – Directly addressing the situation.
- Distract – Making a simple (or elaborate) distraction to diffuse the situation.
- Delegate – Finding someone else to address the concern.

Bystander Intervention Tips from It’s On US!

It’s On Us was a September 2014 initiative through the White House Task Force to Prevent Sexual Assault.

Talk to your friends honestly and openly about sexual assault.
Don’t be a bystander – if you see something, intervene in any way you can.
Trust your gut. If something looks like it might be a bad situation it probably is.
Be direct. Ask someone who looks like they may need help if they’re okay.
Get someone to help you if you see something – enlist a friend, RA, bartender, or host to help step in.
Keep an eye on someone who has had too much to drink.
If you see someone who is too intoxicated to consent, enlist their friends to help them leave safely.
Recognize the potential danger of someone who talks about planning to target another person at a party.
Be aware if someone is deliberately trying to intoxicate, isolate, or corner someone else.
Get in the way by creating a distraction, drawing attention to the situation, or separating them.
Understand that if someone does not or cannot consent to sex, it’s rape.
Never blame the victim.
If you are a victim or survivor, or helping someone in that situation go to www.notalone.gov to get the resources and information you need. You can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656 HOPE.

Bystander Intervention Resources

On Campus

Report a Concern

Academic Services supports all students through the delivery of first year and transfer advising from orientation to major declaration and across the arc of their academic career by providing individual counseling and mentoring, management of the academic internship program, academic tutoring, delivery of academic success workshops, resource identification, referrals, and student advocacy.
Lee Hall 206, advise@umw.edu, 540-654-1010
Academic Services

Associate Vice President & Dean of Student Life, Cedric Rucker, oversees Student Life and serves as the Chair of the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT).
Marye House, crucker@umw.edu, 540-654-1200
Office of Student Life

Center for International Education assists students and employees with immigration and visa documents.
Lee Hall 4th Floor, cie@umw.edu, 540-654-1434
Center for International Education

Honor Council ensures the integrity of the University’s Honor System.
honor@umw.edu

James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC) welcomes students from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Their most important goal is to enhance students’ educational experiences while here at UMW by increasing awareness and knowledge of diversity issues.
University Center 319, 540-654-1044
James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC)

Office of Disability Resources (ODR) assists University of Mary Washington in providing equal and integrated access for students with disabilities to all of the academic, social, cultural, and recreational programs it offers.  In doing so, it complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
Lee Hall 401, odr@umw.edu, 540-654-1266.
Office of Disability Resources (ODR)

Office of Student Conduct and Responsibility (OSCAR) assists with reported violations of UMW’s Code of Conduct.
Marye House, oscar@umw.edu, 540-654-1660.
Office of Student Conduct & Responsibility (OSCAR)

Safe Zone seeks to foster an environment which affirms an inclusive and supportive community for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) citizens and allies, to create opportunities and resources to allow UMW to embrace the full range of diversities, and create maximum educational engagement for all.
Safe Zone

Residence Life and Housing supports our residential community within the residence halls.
Main Office: Marye House, reslife@umw.edu, 540-654-1058
Residence Life and Housing

Student Health* Center is a weekday health clinic for UMW students. Our care focuses on routine and acute health care needs of our student population.
Lee Hall 112, healthcenter@umw.edu, 540-654-11040.
Student Health Center

Talley Center for Counseling Services* has a staff of licensed mental health progressions to help students meet the demands of college life effectively and helps support their personal, social, and intellectual growth and development. The counseling center is available to schedule appointments from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lee Hall 106 & Tyler House, 540-654-1053
Talley Center for Counseling Services

Title IX Coordinator, Stefanie Lucas-Waverly, provides accommodations and information about rights and responsibilities concerning discriminatory behavior, including the application of Title IX.
Fairfax House, tix@umw.edu , 540-654-5656.
Title IX

University Police accept formal reports from persons alleging criminal conduct, can provide information and help persons obtain a Protective Order, and attend to the person’s immediate safety concern. Provide referrals to appropriate resources on and off-campus.
Brent House, 540 654-1025 or 540-654-4444 (emergency).
UMW Police

Vice President of Equity & Access and Chief Diversity Officer, Sabrina Johnson, oversees the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion including the Bias Incident Reporting Policy.
George Washington (GW) Hall, diversity@umw.edu, 540-654-1213
Diversity & Inclusion

*Denotes a confidential resource on campus.

**This is a partial list. People in the offices listed here can help you come up with other sources of assistance.