At its core, Green Dot is about choosing to do something rather than nothing, and recognising that inaction can unintentionally allow harm to continue. 

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”  – Edmund Burke 

Why Green Dot Matters

This quote captures the central message behind the Green Dot approach and the responsibility we all share in addressing gender-based violence. As part of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Awareness Week , we are promoting Green Dot Active Bystander Training, a programme designed to help people recognise and safely challenge inappropriate comments, attitudes and behaviours before they escalate. 

In 2017, I attended my first bystander training session. I found it both enlightening and unsettling. It forced me to reflect on moments where I had noticed something wasn’t right but chose not to intervene. That reflection came with a sense of guilt, but it also helped me understand that meaningful change does not require dramatic action. Small, considered interventions can have a real impact. 

The training reinforced the idea of cause and effect: one action can influence what happens next. 

As a male ally, I am clear that I cannot fully understand what it is like for women and girls to live with the constant risk of harassment or gender-based violence. The statistics are clear: most victims are female, and most perpetrators are male. However, through my own lived experience of domestic violence and more than 20 years of working alongside survivors of abuse, I understand the lasting and often hidden impact that violence can have. As a Green Dot bystander, I also recognise my responsibility to challenge unacceptable behaviour when I encounter it. 

The term ‘bystander’ is often associated with passivity, someone who witnesses harm but does nothing. Green Dot challenges this idea by taking a community-based approach. It recognises that we all contribute to the culture around us and that behaviour becomes normalised when it goes unchallenged. The programme also makes a clear distinction between being a passive bystander and an active one. 

The first step to being an active bystander is recognising a situation. One of the most noticeable changes for me after the training was how much more aware I became in everyday spaces. Situations I might previously have overlooked now stood out, prompting me to reflect on whether an intervention was needed. 

The next step is taking action. Research shows that people are more likely to help when someone takes the lead. Yet in group settings, responsibility often becomes diluted, with individuals assuming someone else will intervene. This phenomenon, known as the bystander effect, can result in no one stepping in at all. 

What You Can Do as an Active Bystander

Intervening does not mean putting yourself at risk. Safety must always come first. Interventions can be direct or indirect and may include  

• • challenging a comment
  • checking in with someone
  • creating a distraction
  • sharing support information  
  • or delegating to trusted staff or authorities

We live in a culture where harmful behaviour is often minimised or excused as banter or jokes. Perpetrators frequently operate in plain sight, relying on social norms that protect them and silence those who experience harm. In communities where victim-blaming is common, reporting rates are consistently lower. 

Sexual and gender-based violence rarely begins with the most extreme behaviours. More often, it escalates from smaller boundary-crossing actions that go unchallenged. This is why bystanders can play such a crucial role in disrupting harm early and shifting what is seen as acceptable behaviour. 

As bystanders, we can have the greatest impact by addressing the behaviours we see most often. By doing so, we help reshape social norms, create safer environments, and empower others to speak up. We can also support survivors by reinforcing a simple but vital message: this is not your fault. 

Reducing gender-based violence requires ongoing conversation and collective responsibility. Change does not depend on a small number of people doing everything; it depends on all of us choosing to do something. I am prepared to take a lead. Who is willing to join me? 

Find out more about Green Dot and upcoming training sessions.

Support

• • 24-hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline - 0808 802 1414
  • Report + Support - Online reporting tool for students