If you are a witness to a woman being harassed or intimidated, there are many ways in which you can help.
There’s more than one way to intervene in a situation, it doesn’t have to be a confrontation.
Asking someone else to intervene could help de-escalate the situation. For example, this could be a shop worker, bartender, police officer or bus driver.
You could ask for the time or find another way to divert their attention away from the women being harassed.
You could film or record the audio of the harassment then provide it to the victim. This could help them report the harassment and bring the perpetrator to justice. However, do not share recordings of incidents without the victim’s consent.
This can depend on the situation. It might be easier to confront people you know, or perhaps friends who are acting inappropriately towards a woman.
It may be that you feel more comfortable confronting the harasser with a group of friends. You could encourage some to take the harasser away while you check that the woman is ok. If you do this, call out the inappropriate behaviour and then speak to reassure and support the victim, but try to avoid escalating the situation by engaging in a dialogue with the harasser.
If you feel there is a likely threat of violence towards the victim of harassment or yourself, you need to prioritise the safety of you both and should contact the police by calling 999.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact West Midlands Police on 999.
For non-emergencies you can contact the police on 101 or via their Live Chat.
If you need the police but are unable to talk due to your situation you can dial 55 – find out more about silent calls.
For non-emergency incidents on public transport you can call 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016.