Step 1: Role Play Instructions

The facilitator divides the group into subgroups of 3 participants each. They receive written situations containing micro-aggressive situations and behaviours. The members of the subgroup divide the roles (attacker, bystander, victim) and based on the situation description, prepare a short scenario to be acted out in the chosen roles. The facilitator only distributes as many situations as there are sub-groups.

Situation 1

In a restaurant, a waiter ignores a black man and serves him only after all the white customers have been served. A bystander (observer) is watching the situation. Will he take action and express his dissatisfaction? 

Situation 2

A man meets a female colleague in the office, to whom he continually expresses his opinion that women are not suitable for management positions. Passers-by and observers in the office are silent or laugh at his jokes, even though they are sympathetic to his female colleague. How to raise awareness of the attacker?

Situation 3

At college, a teacher meets a gay student and keeps telling him how unusual it is to be gay and that he should “come out”. The other students and teachers act as if nothing is happening, although the victim is obviously very uncomfortable until,…

Situation 4

A homosexual couple are holding hands and walking in a park. An attacker makes offensive remarks about their sexual orientation and starts to berate them. Other people in the park turn away or leave. Will anyone take the side of the victims?

Situation 5

Two colleagues, one of whom has a disability, often meet at work. The co-worker keeps offering to help him, even though he does not need help. The other colleagues behave as if this is normal behaviour and do not warn the attacker about his inappropriate behaviour until a young engineer joins the development team.