Awareness Hub
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Being a Bystander - What You Can Do

From passive bystander to upstander - how to report safely.

Introduction

When you witness bullying, you have a choice. You can stay silent, or you can become an upstander - someone who helps stop it without putting themselves in harm's way.

Signs

  • You see someone being called names, isolated, or mocked.
  • A group chat turns into a pile-on against one person.
  • You overhear a plan to prank, mock, or hurt someone.

What you can do

  1. Don't laugh or 'like' - that fuels the bully.
  2. Stand near the target - sit with them, invite them to another activity.
  3. Tell a trusted adult. You can do it anonymously if you need to.
  4. Send a private supportive message to the target.
  5. If safe, calmly say: "That's not funny."

When to get help

If you fear the target is in danger, tell an adult immediately. You can also file an anonymous witness report on HeroFriends - bystander reports matter.

After you read

If you or someone you care about is going through this, you can file a confidential report. Every report is handled by trained HeroFriends officers under the Anti-Bullying Act 2026.

Make a Report Now
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