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Check in. Speak up.
Small actions can make a big difference.
Bystander intervention helps create a safer campus community.

 

August 24th to Thanksgiving Break is “The Red Zone”, when more than 50% of all college sexual assaults are statistically found to occur.  Look for informational posters and tabling about sexual violence prevention and bystander intervention throughout the Fall 2026 semester. 

If you have experienced sexual violence, Local and State Resources can be found here, on Title IX's Resource Page.  If you need to report an incident, you can visit our office or use the online reporting form here. 

To request a training on sexual violence prevention or bystander intervention, email the education specialist at mcdeann@isu.edu. 

 

Remember the 5 D's of Bystander Intervention:

Direct: Call out problematic behavior when you see it, whether that is with your friends, teammates, or strangers.

Distract: Interrupt the interaction, such as asking for directions or spilling your drink. 

Delegate: Ask for help from a 3rd party, such as public safety or an authority figure that is present. 

Delay: Check in with the victim after the incident to offer support or resources.

Document: Take notes or film the incident (but never post online without permission).

 

Learn more about Bystander Intervention:

  • Request a training from the Title IX Team! Email us at: titleix@isu.edu or mcdeann@isu.edu
  • Attend any of the workshops offered by our partners, like Own Your Voice! or It's on Us. 

Myth: Sexual assaults involving alcohol occur mostly among strangers. 
Fact: Sexual assaults involving alcohol more often occur among individuals who know each other casually as acquaintances, rather than among individuals in romantic relationships.

Myth: If a victim of sexual assault didn't fight back, they must have thought the assault wasn't that bad or they wanted it. 
Fact: Many survivors experience tonic immobility or a “freeze response” during an assault where they physically cannot move or speak. [1]

Myth: A person cannot be sexually assaulted by their partner/spouse. 
Fact: Being in a committed relationship does not guarantee consent, therefore a person in a committed relationship can be a victim of sexual assault. 

Myth: Men cannot be victims of sexual violence, including sexual assault. 
Fact: Fact: 1.5% of all men have been raped and 47% of bisexual men have experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime. [1]

Myth: A lot of victims lie about being raped or give false reports.
Fact: Only 2-8% of rapes are falsely reported, the same percentage as for other felonies. [1]

To learn more, request a training for your club, department, or group. Or, check out some resources below:

1. https://www.ourresilience.org/what-you-need-to-know/myths-and-facts/

Be the reason somebody gets home safe!

  • Try:
    • “Hey, are you okay?”
    • Interrupt the moment. Change the outcome.
    • If something feels off, trust that feeling.
    • Silence protects the problem.
    • Awkward for a minute is better than harmed for a lifetime.

Check in. Speak up.
 Friends don’t ignore red flags.

  • Try:
    • Create a distraction. Create an exit.
    • “Come with me for a second.”
    • Spill the drink. Start the conversation. Break the tension.
    • Interrupting is caring.
  • Try:
    • Get backup. You don’t have to handle it alone.
    • Call a friend. Call security. Call attention.
    • Safe communities are built together.

Check in. Speak up.
 See something concerning? Bring someone with you.

  • Try:
    • “Did you get home safe?”
    • Support doesn’t end when the party does.
    • Follow up. Listen. Believe.

Check in. Speak up.
 Sometimes the best intervention happens after.