This fall, Stanford is offering a new 90-minute interactive workshop for students to learn how to recognize and respond to behavior that causes harm, including sexual assault or harassment, through practical intervention strategies.

The workshop, developed and facilitated by staff in the SHARE Title IX and Title VI Office, was first unveiled during New Student Orientation in September as an optional program for incoming frosh and transfer students. But it is now one of several workshops and trainings available for students and student groups.

“‘Live the Upstander Life’ can be offered and even tailored for any student group or dorm as part of a number of prevention, education, and support resources offered by the university,” said Vice Provost for Student Affairs Michele Rasmussen. “We would like this to be part of a continued collaboration between SHARE and student leaders to educate our community around sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination.”

Other programs this academic year include forthcoming Culture of Consent workshops, which provide students a clear understanding of affirmative consent and are organized by the PEERs (prevent, educate, empower, refer) program. Other PEERs programming throughout the year will focus on sexual citizenship and connect students to campus resources. And in the spring, the university will offer PEDS 116B: Cultivating Sexual Citizenship, which will introduce initiated Greek life members to fundamental skills, guidance, and practices to support positive change in their organizations and communities.

Meanwhile, the new Upstander program’s philosophy focuses on the role of the “upstander,” a bystander who sees behavior that could lead to harm and chooses to step in. According to the training, bystanders are often the largest group connected to an incident of harm or violence, outnumbering both those who cause harm and those who experience it. Moving from “bystander” to “upstander” can take many forms, and the training asks students to consider their role in creating a culture of care and fostering an environment of respect.

“Being an upstander isn’t only about responding to a serious incident,” said Patrick Dunkley, vice provost for institutional equity, access, and community. “We want students to realize it’s also about speaking up in everyday moments when you hear a sexist or racist joke or witness someone being catcalled. When someone’s safety is at immediate risk, it means acting quickly to disrupt what’s happening and making sure that individual has support.”

The training also allows for a discussion of barriers one might face when considering intervening, including physical safety, peer pressure, socialization, or power dynamics. Facilitators teach students how to use “the Four Ds of Intervention”: distract (interrupt the situation), delegate (get help from someone else), direct (address it yourself), and delay (check in with the person afterward) and then provide groups with a chance to practice with one another and the professional facilitators.

“Students have agency to make a difference, and we hope this leaves them feeling empowered to take an active role in creating culture change for the long term,” Dunkley said.

Students and student groups interested in requesting training should fill out a form on the SHARE website.