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Sexual assault and harassment is a huge issue. What can men do to make women feel safe in public?

Some scary statistics: Roughly 93% of sexual assault offenders are male (). One in two women (53%) and one in four men (25%) have experienced sexual harassment during their lifetime (). The unfortunate truth is that the rate of sexual assaults and the magnitude of sexual assaults at the hands of men means that women often do not feel safe alone in public places (). This is something that has troubled me. I have been in situations when I am walking home in the dark and pass a woman. I cannot understand how she feels because I am a man, but I am very aware that she must be cautious, and why not? She is alone, and the statistics support the fact that, as a male stranger, I am more likely to attack or assault her. So how can I make sure that she feels as little fear of me passing as possible. How do I best make sure she doesn’t feel afraid?

There are some simple and key steps individuals can do to reassure women. One easy and simple thing can be to put yourself in a woman’s shoes. The distance you are from an individual, the noises you’re making (i.e. the loudness of your footsteps, your breathing), your pace, where you look (i.e. directly at an individual) can sometimes make women feel scared (). Being conscious of this means you can take measures to ensure you can help women feel safer in public.

Another important skill people need to understand is how to step in. There is considerable shame attached to being a bystander, which I understand, but stepping in can be incredibly challenging. Some simple ways to prevent poor behaviour can be shutting down sexist or derogatory comments or jokes. Simple responses such as stating, ‘That’s not funny,’ or ‘You don’t need to demean other people,’ can take away the power from jokes and comments. Additionally, as silly as it may sound, step in with something as simple as asking for directions. It may sound silly, but picture a scene in your head. Harassment or sexual assault is taking place, there is considerable tension, and it is a delicate situation that could lead to violence. You say, ‘Excuse me, do you know where I can find George Street?’ It offers a simple way to intervene without creating a scene. If this doesn’t work, keep trying an interruption. Maybe you’re lost. Maybe you need some advice? Anything to diffuse a situation and offer some non-confrontational assistance to a victim. Finally, harassment and assault are never pleasant, so sometimes a more forceful approach is the only answer. Threaten a call to the police or just make one (). This is easier said then done but your intervention can be the difference between someone becoming scarred for life and or just another statistic.

[Editor’s Note: You can find out more information on how to be an active bystander on our Safer Campus Community website – Ben]

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