Sexual Health, Advocacy & Relationship Education

Prevention & Awareness

At Reed, we recognize that prevention of sexual and relationship violence requires the participation of the entire community. We do this in several ways: by raising awareness through campus-wide events; by educating our campus with facts about interpersonal violence; and by stepping up and speaking out when a situation doesn't feel right. The Honor Principle gives us the right and the responsibility to practice safe bystander intervention. 

Bystander Intervention: Reedies Helping Reedies

Sexual and relationship violence occur when one person abuses power over another. You can help even out the power imbalance and prevent the violence by getting involved, either personally or indirectly.

Guidelines for Bystander Intervention

When should you get involved? Whenever someone could get hurt if the behavior continues. In general: always put your safety first. Try to get others to help out. If a situation looks threatening, it’s safest to call Community Safety or 911.

Options for intervention:

1. Direct confrontation: You can address the target or the threat. If you have a friend with you, you can each talk to one party.  

  • Ask the target, "Are you okay?" "Can I help you?" 
  • Tell the threat, "What you're doing isn't okay. You need to stop."
  • Speak up when people use racist, sexist, homophobic, or other harmful language

2. Delegate: Recruit others to help. Call someone with more authority/expertise.

  • Call Community Safety or the police when it is not safe for you to get directly involved

3. Distract/Deescalate: You can talk to the target or the threat. Inserting yourself in the situation can be very effective, if it's done safely. 

  • Ask questions: "Can you tell me what time it is?" "Do you have the class notes?" 
  • Join a conversation where another person seems unsafe