The Bystander Intervention Literacy (BIL) Campaign is one of various others within the E Campaign at MRU. It was developed to increase MRU’s community awareness and involvement with bystander intervention. Leveraged from the January 2016 W Campaign, the E Campaign transforms to take a stance around the idea of “if anyone is exploited, everyone is exploited.” This concept was formed around the idea that we are all in the fight against abuse together. The campaign has one overarching goal - to engage and educate the Mount Royal University community on what it means to be an active bystander and to change societal views that limit its members from becoming active bystanders.

 

Our campaign team designed and executed a pop-up museum event called “Stand Up. Speak Out. Step In.” This event took place on two different days at two separate locations on campus; one on Main Street and one outside Ross Glen Hall to support the Stephanson-Cooke Violence Prevention Conference. After filling out a BIL Campaign survey, participants had the opportunity to walk into our museum and hear members of the MRU community tell their bystander/active bystander stories over video, read the real-life stories of victims who suffered due to inactive bystanders and write their own personalized story if they felt inspired. In addition, students took a pledge to be an active bystander over video, which we later made into a promotional video. By pledging to be an active bystanders, these students were willing to upstand in controversial situations, spread awareness and ultimately add to the growth of a safer community. We thank all of our partners, the Stephanson-Cooke Violence Prevention Conference committee and the MRU community for supporting us in our efforts.