As Senior Marketing Manager at SoloProtect, I spend a lot of my day writing and talking about the importance of personal safety in the workplace.

But what should you do if you spot someone else whose safety may be threatened e.g. on a bus or in a café?

Most of us have been in this situation at some point in our lives. I certainly have and I remember feeling powerless and completely out of my depth. I’ve also been on the receiving end of unwanted behaviour when I was subject to serious intimidation by a stranger on a crowded bus; the other passengers simply watched it all happen without attempting to help.

It's this experience, in particular, that meant I was one of the first to sign up when Suzy Lamplugh Trust and L’Oreal Paris announced they would be delivering free bystander intervention training.

The engaging, 1-hour webinar has finally given me the confidence and skills I need to intervene if I see someone who’s on the receiving end of unwanted attention. Through a clever mix of video scenarios, polls and discussions, I was given 5 proactive techniques that I can draw upon depending on the situation. My favourite, and the one I think I would use most often, is the “distraction technique” – a safe way of subtly distracting the perpetrator away from the victim.

The training has also made me realise that the passengers who witnessed my terrifying experience on that bus, probably didn’t know how to help. This is why I’m so passionate about encouraging others to sign up too.

It’s suited to both men and women and, if it means you learn effective tactics to help yourself and others in the future, it’s a productive hour well spent!

Hannah Southwell
Senior Marketing Manager at SoloProtect
www.soloprotect.com 

You can book on the Stand Up Against Harassment training here.