PORTLAND, Oregon (Tribune News Service) — Sarah Truax had never been to Montavilla Park, so when she pulled into the parking lot just after 4 p.m. on March 15 with her 6-year-old and 3-year-old sons, she made sure to survey the area.

Everything appeared safe as another family enjoyed the early spring weather.

As Truax and her children headed to a grassy area in the park, she said she felt someone following her. She turned around and a woman who appeared to be suffering from a delusion that Truax’s boys were her own began yelling obscenities.

Truax held her 3-year-old and put her 6-year-old behind her as the woman punched her about a dozen times. When she called for help to the nearby family, they did not intervene and left the area.

In the aftermath – Truax managed to hustle her boys back to the car, drive away and call 911 — Truax has wondered what else she or the other family could have done to stop the attack.

Portland police advise people to call 911 first, but as the bureau deals with low staffing, they don’t always come to the scene. In the absence of an immediate police response, numerous organizations teach bystanders how they can safely intervene.

“Thank goodness I was able to get away and I didn’t need anyone, but this is a big issue because, what if I had?” Truax said.

The 5 D’s

Portland saw a demand for bystander intervention training in the wake of the 2017 MAX train attack that left two people dead and a third person wounded after they helped two teens who were being harassed by an extremist.

While the city has offered free personal safety training in the past, it hasn’t partnered with local advocacy groups to provide direct intervention resources since 2021.

In early March, another attack on MAX light-rail called attention to bystander intervention when an assailant hit a man in the face with a large rock after the man tried to help a woman who was being yelled at by the assailant.

Portland police spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Allen said that the bureau prefers people do not intervene, but if they decide to anyway, they should assess the risks at hand and balance the need for immediate action with their success rate.

“Are there weapons present and are they accessible to the suspect? Are there other suspects?” Allen said in an email.

Brittini Long, senior program coordinator with Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services in Montgomery County, Ohio, said to keep direct intervention short and sweet to avoid escalation.

“It can be as simple as telling someone to leave them alone, ‘I’m here to support this person please step away,’” Long said. “We never want to incite violent behavior, but use your voice to show that you’re an ally.”

Long advises people to thoroughly survey the situation before directly intervening, though.

“Does the person look like they are alone and need someone to intervene? Do I have options to involve other people for support?” Long said.

She partners with nonprofit Right to Be to offer virtual intervention workshops twice every three months, to help people feel safe on the streets, online and at work.

Intervention, even when done right, can be extremely risky. So, Right to Be teaches a variety of safe measures to take before directly intervening. They practice the five D’s to de-escalation: distract, delegate, document, delay and direct.

To distract, bystanders can derail the harasser by ignoring them and speaking about something else to the victim.

Delegating involves speaking to people around you – or people who may hold power in the situation, such as a bus driver or teacher – and asking for help. Together, they can come up with a plan to assist the person who is being harassed.

If a bystander would like to document harassment either by jotting down notes or recording a video, they should make sure the person being harassed already has help. And after everyone is safe, the bystander should ask the victim what to do with the documentation.

Even if a bystander couldn’t help someone in the moment, they can practice “delay” by checking on the person after the harasser is gone. The bystander can ask how they can support the person or if they need company.

The last option is to be direct, which should be done with caution and assessment. In this course, the bystander should avoid arguing with the harasser and say something simple like “that’s inappropriate,” or “leave them alone.”

On April 12, the two organizations will host a virtual bystander intervention training geared toward harassment in public places. It aims to teach people what to do when they see someone being physically or verbally attacked on the street.

Portland’s Office of Community and Civic Life also offers free personal safety workshops by request. In 90 minutes, they discuss de-escalation tactics, what-if scenarios and touch on “upstander” – someone who stands up rather than stands by – intervention.

Sara Johnson, who hosts the majority of the personal safety workshops, said that just interrupting the harassment can help someone in need.

“We recommend not connecting with the person who is doing the targeting but the person who is being targeted,” Johnson said. “Even saying something simple like ‘hey, how is your day going?’ or pretending you know the person.”

But when an altercation turns physical, it’s time to gather help, Johnson said.

CLARA

The Portland Peace Team, founded by Tom Hastings, also offers training sessions on de-escalation to organizations and the public with a focus on non-violent approaches to reducing violence.

They teach CLARA to address de-escalation: Calm and center, listen, affirm, respond and add.

“When engaging anyone, we try to move from a calm and centered space,” said Bodhi Ahlson, president of the board of directors for the Portland Peace Team.

Once the bystander is relaxed and ready to help, they should listen and affirm. To employ this tactic, the bystander shouldn’t argue, but play a mediator role in any verbal disagreement. If someone seems very passionate about a topic, a bystander can affirm that person’s feelings to de-escalate the interaction.

“We’re not out to change anybody’s minds,” Ahlson said.

To “respond and add,” the bystander can offer help or resources to settle the situation.

If a bystander wants to be more direct, they can also distract and voice disapproval to interrupt abusive behavior, Ahlson said. For example, if a bystander sees people arguing in a restaurant, they can spill a drink or ask the victim for directions.

“Your goal is to remove the victim from the situation,” Ahlson said.

If a bystander is untrained or afraid to handle harassment, they should still see, report and support. Overall, Ahlson urges bystanders to approach intervention with caution and kindness.

“If you come with a violent, aggressive, force-based method, it’s going to evoke fear and more force,” he said.

‘So thankful’

Once her family was safely away from the park, Truax called 911. A dispatcher told her an officer would follow up with her later, when one was available.

It was on that call that Truax learned someone else, probably a member of the other family at the park, had already dialed for help.

At first, Truax was confused that the bystanders did not intervene, but she later realized the family was probably just afraid and trying to protect their own children.

Truax said her attack has completely shifted her perspective on personal safety, and she still hasn’t been contacted by a police officer as of Tuesday.

“I’m so thankful that we’re OK,” she said. “Physically, we’re OK, but mentally and emotionally, I’m not sure.”

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