Who Are You? A new bystander intervention campaign for the Rugby World Cup

Trigger warning for sexual assault.

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What are people’s thoughts on the video? Has anyone heard the radio adverts which accompany it?

Anon’s Story: Outside JJ Murphies

Last night (Sat 13 August) I was leaving JJ Murphies in Cuba Mall with a few of my flatmates after playing some pool. It was about 2am and quite busy on the streets. As we walked past The Bristol, there was a young man and a woman engaged in a very intense verbal argument sitting down at one of the outside tables. It caught my eye and I stopped just ahead to check that the girl was ok, though I said this was looking like an argument, when I turned back it was more than that. There was no arguing, the man had his fists screwed up and was growling at this woman like he was very angry dog ready to attack, holding a very intense stare and trying to grab her wrists to which she was resisting and broke free from. She got up and started striding away from him. I immediately ushered her toward me and said for her to come with us and that we would look after her, or something to that effect. My flatmates didn’t really have time to engage but I felt they were with me. Then suddenly the angry (boy friend/ex, I assume) came bolting up behind us, pushing me out of the way, telling me that he would fuckin’ smash me as he continued to persue this woman. I had my hand in my bag reaching for my phone to call the cops. She was screaming at him by this point and retaliated by hitting him over the head with her hand bag to try and deter him. Only at this stage did some bouncer intervene,following the man as he continued to hound this woman. I kept near by to make sure she was going to be okay. She made haste for a taxi on Ghuznee st which the man was still trying to prevent her from getting away from him. The bouncer it seemed could only try and get between the angry guy and the girl but couldn’t physically restrain him. The taxi driver got out and it seemed was trying to help the girl too. I yelled out for “some one to get the fuckin’ animal away from her”.
I can only hope that this woman is okay now and has protection from this guy. But I don’t know that, do you?
I wish that more people would respond to this kind of thing when it happens, rather than thinking “it’s none of my business” though I know it is really scary to intervene,and I know not every one feels empowered to do so, but even just by alerting someone with authority to do something about it or speaking up and encouraging others to say something too would help to make a difference. Violence and abuse is such a hushed up issue in this country. It is just so terrible when violence is experienced in a public arena like this and no-one reacts. To me it sends a message to both victim and perpetrator that society condones this kind of behaviour when no one does anything. This is not T.V people. This is Reality!!!!!