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What is an active bystander?
A bystander is someone who witnesses verbal abuse, discrimination, bullying, violence, harassment or any other form of Islamophobia or racism but is not directly involved in it.
An active bystander is someone who steps in and takes action. Active bystanders play an important role in addressing Islamophobia and all other forms of discrimination, hate, bias and racism.
What can you do if you witness Islamophobia?
It is everyone’s responsibility to stand up to racism. Staying silent when you witness Islamophobia means that racism goes unchallenged and unchanged. One way to help is to be an active bystander.
There are many ways to stand up to Islamophobia. Your response will depend on what has happened, how safe you feel and where you are when it occurs.
As an active bystander, the most important things to keep in mind are offering support to people impacted and making sure you feel safe.
How can I be an active bystander?
What can I do if I see Islamophobia online?
Online spaces, such as social media, are common places where Islamophobia occurs. There are a range of actions you can take to tackle Islamophobia online. These include:
- Using the ‘report’ function available on most social media platforms to report the Islamophobic incident
- Reporting it to a community organisation such as Islamophobia Support Service, Islamophobia Register or Action Against Islamophobia, including screenshots of the incident
- Reporting online abuse to the eSafety Commissioner.
Sharing your experience helps to track rates of Islamophobia in Victoria.
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