Workshop urges action against violence

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May 19, 2009

BY BRIAN L. HUCHEL The Commercial-News Tue May 19, 2009, 07:47 PM CDT

DANVILLE — You don’t need to be Superman, just have the compassion to care about stopping violence.

That was part of the message offered to participants of a violence prevention workshop set up by the United Way of Danville Tuesday morning in Vermilion Hall at Danville Area Community College.

Representatives from the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention spoke to a group of more than 25 people from various community organizations, ranging from Danville Housing Authority and Big Brother Big Sister to I Sing the Body Electric and CASA.

Rashada Dawan, training coordinator for the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention, said many people, particularly youths, don’t realize the power they hold as bystanders watching a violent situation.

“Sometimes when people think they have to be active bystanders, they have to be Superman and come in and save the day. But that’s not true,” she said. “There’s so many other things that active bystanders can do, even if it means calling 911, even if it means going to an adult, even if it means for the youth to go and say to the person, are you OK?

“It’s something as simple as that. But a lot of times, people don’t do anything.”

Dee Ann Ryan of the Vermilion County 708 Mental Health Board, among the people attending the workshop, said it can be tough for youths, not to mention adults, to make the decision to step in.

“You don’t know for sure when to get involved because it could make matters worse,” she said. “It’s a difficult thing.”

Making it more difficult is the tendency of teens to speak to their friends about seeing a violent incident rather than a parent, school official or law enforcement. According to statistics from the violence prevention center, only about 15 percent of youths will report a situation to the appropriate adult.

Youthful bystanders tend to follow three ways of thinking when it comes to not intervening: what will happen to me, it’s not normal to interfere or it’s not my responsibility to interfere.

The last goes against the grain of studies which indicate intervening is successful by an active bystander in almost 75 percent of violent incidents.

Dawan said bystanders are more numerous than the perpetrators in any violent incident. By taking action, the odds are with them. In bully situations, action as simple as leading the crowd away from the scene is often the best course to take.

Dawan said it will take adults learning the mindset for youths to take on such a change in human nature.

“As adults, when we understand it, we are able to articulate it to our youth so they understand it,” she said. “If we don’t buy it, we can’t sell it.”

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