Be an Active Witness

What is discrimination?

Discrimination is the unfair or harmful treatment of people and groups based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, ability, age, appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or class. To learn more, check out the Intro to Discrimination article.

It is common to feel afraid, unsure or upset when we witness a discriminatory incident.  We may remember times we were silent to stay out of trouble or mind our own business. Many of us have been told not to “tattle” or “be a snitch”.  

Speaking up for someone facing discrimination is not the same as tattling. If we are silent during a discriminatory incident, it sends the message that the behaviour is okay and the silence may also cause harm for those on the receiving end of discrimination. We can learn ways to respond that are appropriate and effective by learning to be an Active Witness. 

What is active witnessing?

It is important to understand the differences between Bystanding and Witnessing. 

• Bystanding is the act of ‘standing by’ during a hurtful or harmful incident; being there but not participating in the discriminatory act. 
• Witnessing is a way of getting involved in a situation against discrimination. 
• Active Witnessing empowers the witness to take action rather than just watching.  

There are five main parties that may be involved in a discriminatory incident. As an Active Witness, you have four options of who to approach within this Witnessing Triangle to help defuse the situation.

1. Self as a WITNESS: You have seen an incident and have the option to respond with appropriate words and actions
2. The CO-WITNESS: Other observers of an incident who also have the option to respond
3. The OFFENDER: The person making discriminatory remarks or behaviour towards the Receiver(s)
4. The RECEIVER: The person receiving discriminatory remarks or treatment from the Offender(s)
5. The EXTERNAL/ OUTSIDERS: Someone not present at the incident but may provide support and help (parent, family member, teacher, supervision aide, counsellor, principal, community member etc.)

There are many reasons that may prevent us from being Active Witnesses.  Some reasons may include:

• Fear: Having thoughts such as “I’m afraid I’ll be the next target; I’m worried that my involvement will make the situation worse; I’m in shock and I can’t do anything.” 
• Lack of skills: “I don’t know what to say or do, so I won’t get involved.” In the way that we practice earthquake drills and fire drills, our responses can be practiced so that we can develop the ‘muscle memory’ of appropriate words and actions.
• Socialization: We’ve been taught to stay out of trouble; mind our own business; it’s not my problem and not get involved in harmful situations.
• Implicit bias: A bias is cause to feel or show judgment for or against someone or something. If we are unaware of the biases that we may carry in ourselves about various people, they may surface during such situations (“I think the receiver deserves this treatment”).
• Colour blind: If we don’t see colour, we won’t see the inequities and injustices that Indigenous, Black or Persons of Colour (IBPOC) face and may not respond. This is linked to implicit or unconscious bias.

It’s important to learn how to deal with these feelings so we can respond in ways that will defuse the situation and prevent further harm. We can do this by learning about the Four Levels of Witnessing.

Four Levels of Witnessing

We can respond in different ways when we witness a discriminatory incident. The 4 Levels below are based on Dr. Ishiyama’s Active Witnessing Model.

You may react differently during situations depending on your safety, the seriousness of the situation and your feelings. It’s important to always consider your safety and the safety of those around you before engaging. 

The goal is to shift from a Level 1 or 2 response to a Level 3 or 4 in a safe and effective manner  – to move from being a Dis-witness or a Passive Witness to a responsible Active Witness and Ethical Witness.

To become an Active Witness

• Learn what discriminatory remarks and treatment look like, sound like, feel like
• Commit to standing up to discrimination as a witness 
• Develop empathy for the Receivers of the discrimination – to understand and care
• Learn the words you can use to speak up as an Active Witness
• Develop the skills and be prepared to use Active Witnessing responses effectively
• Understand the things that may prevent you from being an Active Witness

How can I Respond as an Active Witness?

When you witness discrimination, you can do your ‘PART’: Pause, Assess, Reflect & Talk/Tell

And remember:

An Active Witness understands the harmful impact of discrimination and knows how to respond to discriminatory remarks and hurtful situations. This requires much courage and practice. You will notice that each harmful incident you witness will differ and your emotions, confidence and responses will also vary.

The more you practice Active Witnessing, the more you will develop the skills, courage and confidence to safely intervene. If we work together, we can break the silence and stand up to racism, discrimination and oppression in society.

This content was written by our partners at BC Children’s Hospital’s Health Promotion and Health Literacy team, in collaboration with BC youth and clinicians. We gratefully acknowledge Angela Ma Brown for sharing expertise in this subject matter in the development of the “Break the Silence: The Power of Active Witnessing program”, and Dr. Ishu Ishiyama for sharing research and expertise in the development of the Anti-discrimination Response Training (A.R.T.) model.