You are out with a group of friends, and everyone is having a great night. Some people are drinking heavily at your table. One of your male friends is very drunk and starts to make sexual gestures and comments to the girls at your table.
After a while, this behaviour escalates and he directs his comments at one particular girl at your table, making nasty comments about her clothes and appearance and saying things like “she’s asking for attention if she wears something like that”. The girl looks uncomfortable and leaves to go to the bathroom.
When she returns from the bathroom, the comments continue. The girl clearly feels uncomfortable. No one seems to be speaking up, in fact, a few people at your table are laughing and telling him he is hilarious and “a real joker”.
What action would/ could you take?
What we SAY!
- You could speak up if you feel safe to do so and say something like “I don’t think is funny”.
- You could speak privately to the person making the comments and ask them to stop, or ask them to imagine how they’d feel if someone made that comment about one of their family members or someone else, they cared about.
- You could discourage others in your group from laughing or joining in.
- You could ask the girl if she is okay. Speak to the girl’s friends, ask them to check in on her.
- These types of harassing behaviours help foster an environment that condones violence against women and girls in our society.
- IMPORTANT: If you think intervening will put you in danger at any time, enlist help.
