Street harassment is an all-too-common reality in our public spaces.
Harassment includes any behaviour intended to bother, intimidate, or disturb another person. It can take many forms: some may seem trivial, like whistling at someone on the street, while others may be criminal, such as hitting someone on public transit.
To address this issue, the City of Montréal, the Montréal Police Service (SPVM), and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) created the campaign “Street Harassment: stop it. Witnesses take action.”
This initiative aims to raise public awareness about street harassment and promote the active bystander approach — called “Witnesses Take Action”— a concrete way to intervene when witnessing harassment.
Understand and Act
The Witnesses, take action campaign provides clear and accessible information on what street harassment is, the different forms it can take, and its consequences. Concrete examples help people identify these behaviours and better understand their impact on those who experience them.
The platform strongly emphasizes collective action: everyone can help make our public spaces safer for all.
The 5 Steps for Active Bystanders
The active bystander approach is based on five safe actions that anyone can take when witnessing a situation of street harassment:
- Create a distraction
- Team up with another person
- Seek help from staff
- Document the situation
- Support the targeted person
For each of these actions, the website offers a short video clip (under 30 seconds).
Promoting Safety and Solidarity in Public Spaces
The Witnesses, take action campaign reminds us that addressing street harassment is a shared responsibility. By equipping witnesses and encouraging empathy and solidarity, the campaign aims to make public spaces safer, more inclusive, and more welcoming. A list of resources and a Frequently Asked Questions section are also available to help answer any questions about preventing and responding to street harassment.
Activities to Implement in Your Setting
The YWCA Montréal has developed the Active Bystander tool, which provides concrete strategies for intervening when witnessing sexual violence. Presented as an activity sheet, this tool highlights the 5Ds of bystander intervention and explores them through various scenarios.
This activity is designed for professionals working with youth. It lasts 65 to 70 minutes and is structured in four parts:
• an icebreaker activity;
• a presentation of the 5Ds, with definitions and examples of interventions;
• scenario-based exercises;
• time for discussion and reflection.
The YWCA Montréal has also created an awareness poster, Becoming Active Bystanders: I’m Taking Action Too!, featuring these five behaviours. It is available in both French and English and can be printed for use in your settings.
