• 01 Distract

    Engage directly with the person who is being harassed and talk to them about something completely unrelated to the harassment. Ignore the harasser. Pretend to be a friend, ask for the time, cause a distraction, be creative.

  • 02 Delegate

    Ask someone nearby, who could have authority in the space, to help you intervene. Tell them clearly what you’d like them to do.

    Find a teacher, bartender or a bus driver and ask them to intervene.

  • 03 Document

    Record or take notes, but only if someone is already helping the person being harassed. Always ask the person what they want to do with your documentation. Never post it online or use it without their permission.

  • 04 Delay

    Comfort the harassed person after the incident and acknowledge that the behavior was wrong. Sit with them until they are okay. Be a friend.

  • 05 Direct

    After assessing your safety and ensuring you are not going to escalate the incident, respond directly and confront the person doing harm. Then turn your attention to the person being harassed. If they respond, ignore them; don't escalate.

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The impacts of harassment can be both short- and long-term, and can include anxiety and depression, feeling less trust and connection in community, and avoiding certain public spaces or going out alone, among many others. It's always important to intervene.

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The 5Ds are owned and promoted by Right to Be, a nonprofit organization working to end harassment in all its forms, through bystander intervention trainings, storytelling, and grassroots initiatives.

In 2020, Right to Be partnered with L’Oréal to create a program called Stand Up Against Street Harassment which aims to treat bystanders how to combat street harassment. As of March 2025, the campaign has trained over 3.7 million people

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