Culture of Respect
Wildcats Step Up
Small actions can have a big impact. Take action, offer support, and be part of the solution when others need help.
Taking Action to Address Harm
Intervening in harmful or problematic situations involves taking direct or indirect action. When we do something and take action, we can change what happens next.
There isn’t just one “right” way to respond, but choosing not to act when you witness harm--by remaining a bystander-- only contributes to the problem. Whether something impacts you personally or impacts others in our community, you play a key role in being a part of the solution.
At Central, we treat Wildcats how they want to be treated. This includes taking action when Wildcats are not being treated with respect. All students, faculty, and staff at CWU are encouraged to intervene in harmful situations and assist members of our community in times of need—Wildcats #LendAPaw to help others.
As Wildcats we are in this together and collectively, we can “Step Up” to foster a Culture of Respect.
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What is a harmful situation?
A harmful situation is a circumstance where there’s potential for something negative to occur, leading to distress and/or physical, mental, or emotional harm.
Harmful situations can be emergencies, like medical emergencies or physical harm. However, they can also be situations we encounter more frequently, like inappropriate or offensive comments, abusive or threatening behavior, bullying, substance misuse, peer pressure or coercion, and discrimination. It’s important to recognize when a situation could be harmful, so we know to intervene.
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What is a bystander?
Bystanders are people who witness a specific action or event but aren’t directly involved in that event. Sometimes bystanders are people who do nothing, but that’s not always the case. There is always a choice to act or not act. The opposite of a bystander is an Upstander—someone who chooses to intervene in problem situations.
The bystander effect, identified by social psychologists Darley and Latane in 1968, occurs when the presence of others discourages individuals from taking action in harmful or problematic situations. Although most people believe that it is important to step up and take action, statistical evidence shows that this is less likely to happen when in a group.
Latane and Darley (1968) attribute the bystander effect to two main factors:
- Diffusion of Responsibility: The more bystanders present during an event, the less personal responsibility individuals feel to take action.
- Social Influence: We often look to the behavior of those around us to determine our response.
If someone else starts helping, others are more likely to try to help also. That’s why it’s important for someone to take action and be the first person to Step Up!
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What are the barriers to Stepping Up to help others?
Every situation is unique, and various factors (i.e., individual, situational, and victim) influence whether someone chooses to help in a harmful or problematic situation.
- Individual variables include a person's knowledge and skills, confidence, and sense of social responsibility.
- Situational variables include the severity of the need for help, the number of bystanders present, and the potential costs associated with helping. This also involves the perceived personal risks for the person considering taking action to intervene, which may include safety concerns, physical danger, social risks, or the possibility of facing backlash for getting involved.
- Victim variables include the appearance of the victim, relationship with the victim, as well as perceptions around whether the victim deserves or will accept help.
Other potential barriers to taking action and helping others include:
- Conformity: People's beliefs and actions can be influenced by others, either subtly or through direct pressure. The level of conformity a person feels is determined by factors including group size, cohesion, status, prior commitment, and public opinion.
- Ambiguity: Some situations may lack clarity, making it difficult to determine the best course of action.
- Obedience to Authority: We are likely to follow what an authority figure (e.g., administrator, supervisor, coach, upperclassmen) tells us to do, even when these instructions conflict with their personal values, because of fear of retaliation or punishment.
- Willful Neglect: There are times when people know there is a problem but look the other way, cover it up, and/or completely ignore it.
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How can I Step Up to help others?
Intervening in harmful or problematic situations involves taking direct or indirect action, but it’s important to remember there’s no one right way to intervene.
Wildcats are unique individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and identities; therefore, it’s important to understand that members of our community may approach intervention differently and have a variety of needs if they are affected by harm.
Different interventions, like the direct and indirect actions below, work better for different situations and people. Remember, doing something is better than doing nothing!
Take Direct Action
- Name and ask questions about what you are observing or experiencing
- Create a distraction like changing the subject
- Create space between the people involved
- Delegate your concerns to an expert, especially in crisis situations where specialized knowledge or training would be helpful
Take Indirect action
- Follow up with the people involved, whether they caused the harm or were harmed by someone else
- Delegate your concerns to someone else, especially if you do not feel safe intervening or you are not sure what to do
- Document what you observed or experienced by taking notes or recording via photo/video
- Connect anyone impacted with resources
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