How can I help someone in need?

Do

• Assess the situation: Are you in a safe place? Are there other people who could help should you need it? Do you have a phone that you can call for help if you need to? Before intervening, consider all of this.
• Let your presence be known: Talk directly to the person who is being harassed and ask them if they’re ok and if they would like help.
• Make suggestions: If you are in a public space, suggest you go somewhere else. Perhaps this is somewhere populated with more people - like a shop or cafe. If you are on public transport, ask if they would like you to go with them to the next carriage or offer to sit next to them. Don’t push them if they seem uncomfortable with you, just make sure they know you are there for them.
• Call for help: If the situation is continuing or escalating further, look for someone in a position of authority to help. Depending on where you are, this could be security at a bar or in a nightclub, a train conductor, bus driver or a member of staff. Ask them to help you diffuse the situation and if needed, to call the police.
• Contact the police: If the situation becomes violent, or if someone is in immediate danger then ring 999. If it’s unsafe to speak, you can then press ‘55’ and you will be transferred to a police call handler trained to deal with ‘silent calls’.