Recognising what ASB is and what ASB isn’t can be difficult. What constitutes ASB is extremely subjective, and whilst we have examples of behaviour, what you may consider to be antisocial behaviour, another person may not. Neighbourhood Watch has created a guide to help you identify ASB. Antisocial behaviour is a range of behaviours that can cause nuisance and annoyance or harm and distress to a person in their home, neighbourhood or community. It is a wide range of unacceptable activities, such as:
There is a fine line between antisocial behaviour and neighbour disputes, which can often begin over relatively minor inconveniences, such as parking. However, if they persist, they can potentially develop into antisocial behaviour.
Antisocial behaviour is not parking (including badly parked vehicles), children playing, neighbours doing DIY (at reasonable times of the day), groups of young people in the street or in parks unless they are being rowdy, abusive, causing damage or committing other crimes, noise caused by everyday living, religious or cultural practice, one-off parties, or general living noise.
Harassment is unwanted behaviour which you find offensive or which makes you feel intimidated or humiliated. It can happen on its own or alongside other forms of discrimination. Harassment is about power and control, and it is often a manifestation of societal discrimination like sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, classism, ableism and racism. No form of harassment is ever okay; everyone should be treated with respect, dignity and empathy.
Unwanted behaviour includes spoken or written words, abuse and physical gestures.
Harassment which happens out on the street limits people’s mobility and access to public spaces.
If you are aware of someone being harassed, there are tried-and-tested ways you can help…
DIRECT – Speak up and tell the harasser that what they’re doing is not ok and ask them to leave the victim alone. Only use Direct as a last resort to prevent violence. Your safety and the victim’s safety come first.
DISTRACT – Interrupt an incident by asking the time or pretending to be lost.
DELEGATE – Tell someone nearby what’s going on and ask them if they can do something about it, whether a bus driver, security, a bartender, or the police.
DOCUMENT – Record what is happening, but never post footage online or use it without permission.
DELAY – Check in with the person being harassed. Acknowledge that what happened wasn’t ok and that it’s definitely not their fault. Show the support they need, that you’d appreciate too, if roles were reversed
In this training we will explain the types of harassment and equip you to respond when you experience these types of crime while out in the community, workplace, or in public places.
Click on the link below to take you to a page which will help you to make choices that could help support the victim of harassment, hate crime and bullying, to name but a few situations. We are all bystanders in our everyday lives, and we intervene without realising that we have. It could be as simple as telling someone to take a taxi home rather than driving, after a night out, or asking a person is okay after someone had shouted at them in the street.
This module highlights what safe actions you can take when faced with a situation. The 5D’s are well-known and proven steps to take in these circumstances.
Neighbourhood Watch was founded in New York in 1964, where it was rumoured that there were 38 bystanders who did not intervene when a young woman called Kitty was brutally murdered near where she lived. From that incident, the bystander effect and Neighbourhood Watch were conceived. On the Neighbourhood Watch website, there is a magnitude of advice and examples of where being that “Active Bystander” really makes a difference.
Bystander Interaction – how you can support other friends, families and members of the community that are being harassed or feeling uncomfortable due to the actions of others
We are all aware of hate crime, but you may not be aware that hate crime is one of the most under-reported crimes in the UK today. It profoundly affects the victims but also can have a lasting negative impact on the communities where we live. By recognising the signs, what we can do, who can be targeted and how we can report this we can reduce and help address hate crime for any victim and for our communities.
We have produced a different style of pack this time, which is a much more interactive and immersive experience, and we would invite you to do 3 things:
Firstly – Go through the pack, taking note of the different types of hate crime and incidents and the ways that you can report, albeit through the police, reporting centres or anonymously through CrimeStoppers.
Secondly – Think about the area in which you live and your observations of what happens. Have you seen any signs of hate crimes and incidents? Did you do anything about it? Did you feel you were confident to do anything? Have your views changed because of this pack, and would you feel more confident in recognising the signs and doing something about it?
Thirdly – Share your learning with others and encourage them to join the Community Safety Charter.
