Response Options

Faculty, staff, and students play the largest role in preventing violence. You see what happens daily in your work area or academic setting. And, you know your co-workers or fellow students which makes it easier to identify behavior that is out of character.

Each situation is different. Depending on what happens and the environment and context in which it occurs, different response options may be appropriate.

Note it and Remember

If someone has an unusual outburst of anger and this is out of character for that person, it may be appropriate to simply note it and remember it. There are times in every person’s personal and professional life when stress becomes overwhelming, and there may be an out of character reaction to a stressor for a brief moment. If this behavior continues, however, or escalates, it is likely that it is time for increased action.

Talk about it with the Other Person

If someone uses a poor choice of words or seems agitated for some reason, it may be an appropriate response to ask “is everything ok?” Many times, our co-workers or fellow students may not have anyone that they trust to talk to, and simply asking if they are ok may show support and de-escalate the situation.

Report it

If someone makes a threat or is posing a threat to you or someone else, or you feel uncomfortable about a concerning behavior then report it.  If you sense something, say something! If you don’t, maybe no one else will.