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Objective: Sexual assault (SA) is unfortunately common in U.S. college campuses. Friends are central to the social context of college women, and thus to the context of SA, and thus may play a key role in SA prevention. The objective of the present study was to provide a preliminary test of a novel friend-based motivational intervention (FMI) that encourages and prepares friends to work together to reduce SA risk. Method: In a pilot trial, 51 friend dyads (N = 102) were randomized to either FMI or waitlist control (WLC) conditions and then followed over 3 months. Participant perceptions of the intervention and intervention-associated outcomes (engagement in friend-based assault protective behaviors [FAPB], readiness to change, barriers, sexual assault occurrences) were examined. Results: Those in the FMI reported greater readiness to engage in efforts to protect their friend against SA and reported higher rates of FAPB across time points relative to the WLC. Though not statistically significant, women in the FMI also reported half as many incidences of SA at the 3-month follow-up. We did not observe decreases in perceived barriers to intervening that were targeted with the FMI. Participant feedback on their experiences with the FMI was positive; women reported that FMI was empowering, personally relevant, and useful. Conclusions: Findings point to the promise of this dyad-based motivational intervention that capitalizes on the natural resource of women's friendships to decrease risk for sexual assault. What is the public health significance of this article?: This randomized controlled trial provided a preliminary test of a friend-based motivational intervention that encourages and prepares friends to work together to reduce sexual assault risk. Findings suggest that friend-based motivational intervention is a novel and promising way to empower female friends to work together to decrease risk for sexual assault—a pervasive public health problem for young adult women in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, social campaigns and high-profile cases have brought increased attention to violence against women. Athletes can be role models, shaping both prosocial and antisocial attitudes. Their engagement in violence prevention could be an effective tool to tackle violence against women through bystander intervention. This part of a mixed-method feasibility study reports on the quantitative evaluation of an evidence-led bystander program, Football Onside, implemented at a football club in South West England in June 2018 to February 2020. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with intervention and control groups. Football coaches and club members (n = 50) completed measures of rape and domestic abuse myths, bystander intent and efficacy, self-reported bystander behaviors, readiness for change, perceptions of peer helping and myth acceptance, law knowledge, and program evaluation. Fidelity was also assessed. The analysis compared between- and within-group differences in mean changes over time using mixed-effects models. Participant ratings of learning outcomes were high, and fidelity was maintained throughout the intervention. Between-group comparison revealed mixed results, with greater improvements in the intervention group for bystander intent and efficacy at post-test and follow-up, domestic abuse myths at post-test, and rape myth acceptance at follow-up. Model contrasts for within intervention group revealed improvements in rape and domestic abuse myth acceptance, bystander intent and efficacy, perceived law knowledge at both time points, and perceived peer myths and helping at post-test. At follow-up, intervention participants reported significantly higher engagement in bystander behaviors. No significant effects were found for perceived importance of legal knowledge. Our research highlights the potential efficacy of a bystander program tailored for football club members. Cluster-randomized control trials are now required to examine bystander attitudes and behavior change processes among professional athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of sexual assault (SA) among college students (13%) is unacceptable, underreported, and alcohol use by the perpetrator or victim is reported in 50% of SA cases. Bystander intervention (BI) programs, which use prosocial behaviors to prevent or stop a harmful situation from occurring, have been implemented across college campuses to reduce SA. There are several known barriers (e.g. self-intoxication) and facilitators (e.g. peer support) to BI for SA; however, less is known about barriers and facilitators to BI for alcohol-related SA. Alcohol-related SA includes situations in which the perpetrator and/or victim are intoxicated, whereas alcohol-facilitated SA includes situations in which individuals intentionally use alcohol as a perpetration strategy. The current study examined student perspectives of BI for SA opportunities, actions taken in response to opportunities, and barriers and facilitators to action. The team conducted content and deductive thematic analysis of data from focus groups and interviews with diverse undergraduate students (N = 79). Opportunities included perpetrator-focused, victim-focused, and sexual risk opportunities. Actions taken included staying vigilant, monitoring friends, communicating with friends, and removing friends. Barriers included self-intoxication, feeling helpless, peer pressure, not feeling personally responsible, and fearing the consequences of helping. Finally, facilitators included knowing friends’ concerning signals and drinking motives, feeling like some intervention strategies are easy, understanding sex-related risks, acknowledging consent and personal boundaries, and feeling personally responsible for friends. Understanding these situations’ nuances can help to inform more effective and comprehensive BI programs to reduce SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence and nature of sexual violence at UK universities has been aligned with a 'rape culture', where sexual violence is taken-for-granted. Calls to change such a culture permeate literature from government, charities, regulatory bodies, and academia. This paper pulls out of the literature the strategies called to change rape culture. Focusing on three overarching strategies: naming sexual violence, reporting sexual violence, and preventing sexual violence. We carried out a website analysis of all UK universities that focused on gathering data along these three themes to ascertain the extent to which their websites supported changing the culture of sexual violence at their university. Many universities' websites had an online reporting tool and defined sexual violence, but many universities' websites did not have information about bystander initiatives (the prevention strategy we focused on). The research raises implications for universities to enhance their website pages for in-person bystander initiatives and to standardise definitions of sexual violence used in online reporting tools. Consequently, more research is needed into what definitions of sexual violence are used, the type of language used and the efficacy of online reporting tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To decrease rates of sexual assault victimization, young people are encouraged to become involved when they see questionable sexual situations (i.e., be a prosocial bystander). Several factors can facilitate or inhibit intervention, including alcohol use. To inform bystander prevention programs that aim to address alcohol's impact on bystanders, the current study reviewed research focused on alcohol use and bystander decision making. In December 2022, the authors searched published studies from six major electronic databases. Empirical articles were deemed eligible if they examined alcohol and the bystander decision-making model within the context of sexual assault, were based in the United States or Canada, and not an intervention study; 32 studies were included in the final review. Across 32 studies published between 2015-2022, 12 assessed the proximal effects of alcohol on bystander constructs and the additional studies examined the distal effects of alcohol on bystander constructs. Alcohol use appeared to impede earlier steps of the bystander decision-making model; however, alcohol use was associated with impeding and facilitating bystander decision making at the latter half of the model. Overall, alcohol use appears to be negatively rather than positively associated with bystander constructs. Bystander intervention programs may want to move beyond the narrative of alcohol as a risk factor for sexual assault and discuss how alcohol impairs a bystanders' ability to recognize risk. More work is needed to ensure researchers assess alcohol consistently and with similar methods (number of drinks, subjective intoxication) to increase generalizability of findings to prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, bystander intervention has become an integral part of the effort to address the high prevalence rates of sexual violence on college campuses. Bystanders put their lives at risk by preventing high-risk situations from happening. Despite their critical role, bystander intervention has not been adequately examined to understand their decision-making process. The current study examined the behaviour of bystanders from an African perspective using college student data from Ghana and Ivory Coast. Specifically, the study examined the influence of sexual consent attitudes, personality traits, sense of community, and prior experiences of sexual violence on two dimensions of bystander intervention. The results revealed that lack of behavioural control, sexual consent norms, and a sense of community influence bystanders' decision to intervene. Also, while personality traits failed to explain bystander behaviour, experience with sexual violence did. These findings offer important insights into developing effective sexual assault programmes on campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What solutions can we find in the research literature for preventing sexual violence, and what psychological theories have guided these efforts? We gather all primary prevention efforts to reduce sexual violence from 1985 to 2018 and provide a bird's-eye view of the literature. We first review predominant theoretical approaches to sexual-violence perpetration prevention by highlighting three interventions that exemplify the zeitgeist of primary prevention efforts at various points during this time period. We find a throughline in primary prevention interventions: They aim to change attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge (i.e., ideas) to reduce sexual-violence perpetration and victimization. Our meta-analysis of these studies tests the efficacy of this approach directly and finds that although many interventions are successful at changing ideas, behavior change does not follow. There is little to no relationship between changing attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge and reducing victimization or perpetration. We also observe trends over time, including a shift from targeting a reduction in perpetration to targeting an increase in bystander intervention. We conclude by highlighting promising new strategies for measuring victimization and perpetration and calling for interventions that are informed by theories of behavior change and that center sexually violent behavior as the key outcome of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participants (n = 520) in a study of two on-campus peer-led sexual assault prevention programs focused on bystander intervention and risk reduction were assessed. This study focused on myth reduction, as well as self-defense self-efficacy. Demographics allowed for within-group comparisons along gender and race. Among men who attended Bro Code, Black men had significantly lower sexual assault myth adherence on many rape myths than the control group, not true of white men. Those women who attended Girls Night Out (GNO) had significantly lower sexual assault myth adherence than the control group. While greater reductions in myth adherence were seen in white women than among Black women, Black women had significantly lower overall sexual assault myth adherence (in both control and sample). As a side note, we found that women who attended GNO had lower general intimate partner violence myth acceptance in addition to lower sexual assault myth acceptance, with some variation on individual myths. Finally, those women who attended self-defense training were significantly more likely to endorse self-defense self-efficacy. Results were then explored through the lens of cultural, gender, intersectional, and community-based contexts. Future research needs and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding bystander barriers in sexual violence is an important step towards increasing knowledge on how to teach people to intervene safely. Although bystander behaviour has been widely studied especially in the US context, there is a dearth of research outside the Global North. In this study, we report results of an investigation in Guatemala, a Central American country with high levels of gender-based violence. In an online study, 1009 University students and staff completed adapted questionnaires on rape myth acceptance and bystander barriers. Correlational and regression analyses demonstrated that the rape myths 'She asked for it' and 'It wasn't rape' were important predictors of multiple barriers (i.e., Failure to notice, Failure to identify situation as high risk, Failure to take intervention responsibility, Failure to intervene due to a skills deficit and Failure to intervene due to audience inhibition). We discuss the results in the context of Guatemalan culture and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nightlife environments are high risk settings for sexual violence and bystander intervention programmes are being developed in response. However, more research is needed to understand nightlife-related sexual violence, and factors that influence bystander interventions. This study examined nightlife patron's experiences of sexual violence and associated factors; and relationships between attitudes towards, awareness and experience of sexual violence, and confidence to intervene. Methods: Cross-sectional on-street survey of nightlife patrons (N = 307, aged 18+) on a night out in an English city. Surveys (7.30pm-1.30am; Wednesday-Saturday) established sexual violence awareness, myth acceptance, and experience, and confidence to intervene. Participant's socio-demographics, nightlife alcohol consumption, and frequency of nightlife usage were collected. Results: 58.0% had ever experienced sexual violence whilst on a night out. In adjusted analyses, sexual violence was higher amongst females (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.0; p < 0.001), and regular nightlife patrons (AOR 2.1; p < 0.05). The majority agreed that they would feel confident asking someone who has experienced sexual violence if they are okay/would like support (92.2%). In adjusted analyses, confidence to intervene was higher amongst those who agreed that sexual violence was an issue in nightlife (AOR 3.6; p < 0.05), however it reduced as sexual violence myth acceptance increased (AOR 0.5; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Sexual violence is a pertinent issue in nightlife. Programmes aiming to address nightlife-related sexual violence must address the wider social norms that promote sexual violence, and ensure patrons understand the extent and significance of the issue, to increase confidence to positively intervene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fieldwork is a critical tool for scientific research, particularly in applied disciplines. Yet fieldwork is often unsafe, especially for members of historically marginalized groups and people whose presence in scientific spaces threatens traditional hierarchies of power, authority, and legitimacy. Research is needed to identify interventions that prevent sexual harassment and assault from occurring in the first place. We conducted a quasi-experiment assessing the impacts of a 90-min interactive training on field-based staff in a United States state government agency. We hypothesized that the knowledge-based interventions, social modeling, and mastery experiences included in the training would increase participants' sexual harassment and assault prevention knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and behaviour after the training compared to a control group of their peers. Treatment–control and pre-post training survey data indicate that the training increased participants' sexual harassment and assault prevention knowledge and prevention self-efficacy, and, to a lesser extent, behavioural intention. These increases persisted several months after the training for knowledge and self-efficacy. While we did not detect differences in the effect of the training for different groups, interestingly, post-hoc tests indicated that women and members of underrepresented racial groups generally scored lower compared to male and white respondents, suggesting that these groups self-assess their own capabilities differently. Finally, participants' likelihood to report incidents increased after the training but institutional reports remained low, emphasizing the importance of efforts to transform reporting systems and develop better methods to measure bystander actions. These results support the utility of a peer-led interactive intervention for improving workplace culture and safety in scientific fieldwork settings. Protocol registration: "The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on August 24, 2022. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21770165. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study analyzed the Virtual-PRO program's efficacy in preventing peer sexual harassment by promoting the bystanders' active intervention and incorporating a virtual reality (VR) component. The impact of the program on sexist attitudes, moral disengagement, the intention to intervene as bystanders, and the involvement in sexual aggression and victimization was tested. Method: Virtual-PRO is a VR-enhanced sexual harassment curricular prevention program of six one-hour sessions. The evaluation comprised a pre-test, a post-test after the intervention, and a follow-up measure at three months. In the study, 579 Spanish adolescent students aged between 12 and 17 years (M = 14.76, SD = 0.88; 47.1% boys) were randomly grouped into experimental (n = 286) and control (n = 293) conditions. Results: The Virtual-PRO program effectively controlled participants' levels of sexism and reduced moral disengagement in the experimental group compared to the control group three months after the intervention. The program also showed positive results in changing bystander behavior, increasing the intention to intervene when the victim was not a friend. Finally, visual/verbal and online victimization decreased in the experimental group and increased in the control group. No differences were found for physical sexual victimization and sexual aggression. Conclusions: The first trial of the Virtual-PRO program is promising and highlights the use of VR as a sexual harassment prevention tool. Follow-up measures are essential to determine the impact of interventions accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humane Acts Bystander Intervention Training curriculum (HABIT) aims to reach students less inclined to learn from liberal and more-feminist education offered in current curricula. Using moral foundations theory to encourage bystander intervention in potential sexual assault situations, the authors taught and assessed 137 diverse students within an urban university's First Year Seminar course. Results indicated the curriculum improved the inclination to intervene in those deemed least likely to intervene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to unceasing rates of sexual assault, and the failure of statutory interventions to reduce the prevalence of sexual violence, several prevention strategies have emerged. Over the past fifty years, initiatives have included awareness raising campaigns, provision of self-defence training, promotion of rape alarms, and education-based efforts in the form of bystander intervention and consent training workshops aimed at encouraging prosocial action to reduce sexual violence. More recently, a striking array of technologies has emerged claiming the capacity to prevent or mitigate the risk of sexual violence including apps that harness the communication functions of smart technology and a variety of 'wearables' designed to protect the body from assault or repel a would-be assailant. In this paper we analyse these prevention initiatives in the modern period, demonstrating that what is striking about the majority is the relative absence of the perpetrator in both design and endorsement. Where an assailant is alluded to, this 'imagined perpetrator' tends to reflect stereotypical constructions of how sexual violence occurs and who commits it. The consequence of such representations is that many prevention efforts place responsibility onto potential victims to protect themselves, contributing further to widespread misunderstandings about the realities of rape and rapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bystander intervention is a promising approach for prevention of sexual violence. Assessing factors that may promote or hinder bystander intervention among sexual minority adolescents (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) is essential, given high rates of violence among sexual minority youth. Prior research examining barriers and facilitators of bystander intervention intentions does not consider how factors may vary by sexual identity. As such, the current study aimed to (1) examine how barriers and facilitators of bystander intentions, bystander intentions, and bystander behavior vary between heterosexual and sexual minority high school adolescents and (2) explore mediators of the association between sexual identity and bystander intervention intentions. We proposed that students' level of school connectedness, gender equitable attitudes, and anticipated positive consequences of bystander intervention (e.g., having a moral desire to help) would promote bystander intervention intentions, whereas binge drinking, and students anticipated negative consequences of bystander intervention (e.g., fear for one's own safety) would tend to weaken bystander intervention intentions. Methods: Participants included 2,645 10th grade students (Mage = 15.37, SD = 0.61) recruited from high schools in the Northeast United States. Results: Sexual minority youth reported higher bystander intentions, bystander behavior, anticipated positive consequences of bystander intervention, gender equitable attitudes, and binge drinking relative to heterosexual youth. Sexual minority youth had lower school connectedness than heterosexual youth. Anticipated negative consequences of bystander intervention did not vary by group. Parallel linear regression analyses found that only anticipated positive consequences of bystander intervention and gender equitable attitudes fully mediated the relationships between sexual identity and bystander intentions. Conclusions: Bystander intervention programs may benefit from attending to specific facilitators of bystander intervention among sexual minority youth, such as gender equitable attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The #MeToo movement has stressed the need to understand why individuals who witness sexual violence may or may not take action. However, prevention programs usually fail to address the association between personality traits and attitudes, perception, and behavior in the context of sexual violence. To improve prevention programs' effectiveness, it is vital to understand how personality traits might interfere with willingness to engage in bystander intervention. This study aims to explore the relationships between Everyday Sadism, perception of harassment, Rape Myths and gender in a sample of 177 participants recruited online. Analyses revealed significant gender differences, with men endorsing more Rape Myths, perceiving less harassment, and being more sadistic. Gender and everyday sadism emerged as significant predictors of perception of harassment. In the case of Rape Myths, age emerged as an additional predictor. These results have several implications, ranging from expanding our knowledge of the influence of everyday sadism on factors known to modulate bystander behaviors as well as informing and shaping the development of prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk for sexual violence begins early in the lifespan; thus, interventions are needed to decrease the risk for sexual violence among high school youth. The current study evaluates the Your Voice Your View (YVYV) sexual violence prevention program using a school‐based cluster trial among 26 high schools in the Northeastern United States. YVYV, includes: 1) a series of four classroom workshops designed to engage students as allies in violence prevention through bystander intervention skills training, address risks for sexual aggression, and reduce risk for victimization; 2) a Lunch and Learn teacher training workshop; and 3) a 4‐week social norms poster campaign based on normative data from the school. Schools were matched based on size and demographics and randomly assigned to the intervention group or a wait‐list control group. A sample of 2685 10th grade students enrolled in the research and completed assessments at baseline, 2‐month and 6‐month follow‐up periods. The magnitude of the difference in sexual aggression did not vary by condition at either follow‐up period. The magnitude of 6‐month differences in experiencing unwanted sexual intercourse varied significantly by condition (IRR = 0.33 [0.14–0.76]), demonstrating a small protective effect favoring intervention schools (Cohen's f2 = 0.012). These findings highlight the promise of multicomponent interventions grounded in bystander intervention skills training, risk reduction, and social norms theory as a promising, comprehensive approach for sexual violence prevention among youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital applications, or "serious games" for health address learning goals in a cognitively active, interactive manner, with the potential for widespread dissemination. This study used a mixed methods approach to develop and conduct a formative evaluation of a digital application for sexual assault prevention. Make a change is a digital application that uses the principles of games for health to foster learning, engagement, and skill‐building around risk and protective factors for sexual victimization, sexual aggression, and bystander intervention. The digital application includes four narrative chapters, six embedded activities, as well as a user‐derived change plan in which individuals establish goals for behavior change following program completion. This multisite study at a 2‐ and a 4‐year college utilized student interviews (n = 14), stakeholder interviews (n = 10), and focus groups with students (n = 40) to inform intervention development. A total of 41 college students then participated in an open trial and completed self‐report surveys (pre, post, and 1‐month follow‐up) to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, utility, and preliminary outcomes. Most of the sample reported enjoyment, usefulness, and perceived competence after completing the application. Data evidenced a trend to reduce the frequency of heavy drinking, and perceptions of social norms evidenced change over time. Findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of this novel format for the delivery of sexual assault prevention programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) men experience sexual assault victimization. Encouraging people to become involved when they witness high-risk sexual situations as a prosocial bystander is one preventative mechanism to address sexual assault victimization. However, research assessing the extent that SGM men will intervene when they witness a concerning male-to-male sexual situation and barriers that prevent intervention is lacking. We sought to address these gaps. Method: SGM men (n = 323, Mage = 39.4, range 18–77) completed a web-administered survey. Participants were asked if they had witnessed a high-risk sexual situation and, if so, to describe how they intervened; if they did not intervene, they were asked to explain why not. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Nearly 50% (n = 157) of participants reported witnessing a situation that may require intervention, of those men 40% reported involvement. When SGM men intervened, their behaviors included direct and indirect verbal and nonverbal strategies. Reasons for not intervening included not appraising the situation as risky, not viewing it as their responsibility to intervene, or lacking the self-efficacy to act. Conclusion: SGM men reported similar barriers to intervention that heterosexual young adults encounter. Participants also provided a variety of intervention tactics that could be included in bystander intervention initiatives to increase their effectiveness and inclusivity. Additional efforts are needed to modify intervention initiatives at both the individual and community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to examine the diffusion effects of a youth‐led sexual violence prevention program (i.e., Youth Voices in Prevention [Youth VIP]). Specifically, social network analysis was used to measure the extent to which Youth VIP changed behaviors for 1172 middle and high school youth who did not attend program events but were friends with Youth VIP participants and completed the first and final survey (approximately 2 years apart). Findings suggest that there was considerable interpersonal communication about Youth VIP among the students generated by program participation. Specifically, youth with friends who participated in Youth VIP were more likely to report hearing their friends talk about Youth VIP and reported talking to their friends about Youth VIP compared with those not connected to Youth VIP participants. However, there were no diffusion effects found for behavioral outcomes (i.e., bystander intervention behavior, violence victimization, and perpetration). Given the mixed findings, further research is needed to determine the extent to which youth‐led sexual violence prevention initiatives lead to changes in broader community‐wide changes in youths' behaviors. Highlights: Sexual violence is a public health crisis in the United States among youth.Youth‐led sexual violence prevention programs have promise in preventing sexual violence.Youth who were part of a sexual violence initiative talked to their friends about the initiative.Friends of friends in the program did not demonstrate changes in their own attitudes and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Up to 20% of female students experience some form of sexual violence while attending college. Bystander intervention programs to reduce sexual violence among university students are increasingly common, yet their effectiveness is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of literature on issues of sexual violence on college campuses, as well as the role of bystander intervention programs and bystander behavior. Methods: Using PRISMA guidelines, database and reference list reviews generated a total of 530 resources from 1972 to 2020. Results: Screenings resulted in a total of 106 resources including peer-reviewed articles, governmental reports, and other scholarly references. Conclusions: Research into campus-based sexual violence has documented the increasing popularity of bystander intervention programs. Although these bystander programs are popular, literature highlights their limited effectiveness in reducing campusbased sexual violence. Future research should explore methods to increase understanding of how bystander intervention programs impact immediate and long-term behavior. Research also should explore motivations to intervene during lower risk situations on the sexual violence continuum which could help explain motivations to intervene during higher-risk situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A situational model of bystander behavior (SMBB) can explain the steps that a bystander takes when intervening in a situation of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assaults—awareness, definition, responsibility, bystander efficacy, and action to intervene. The present study examined the effectiveness of existing bystander intervention programs based on the steps of the SMBB. Method: Overall, 136 separated measured outcomes from 33 studies were systematically searched. The separated outcomes were allocated into five domains based on the SMBB and three more domains for those outcomes that could not be allocated based on the model: (a) awareness, (b) definition, (c) empathy for victims, (d) responsibility, (e) bystander efficacy, (f) gender norms/attitudes, (g) intention to intervene, and (h) action to intervene. They were analyzed through meta-analysis. Results: The bystander intervention programs were effective with a small-to-medium effect size (ES). The programs significantly affected seven out of eight outcome domains. Among the domains, definition was improved the most, followed by intention to intervene, bystander efficacy, responsibility, action to intervene, awareness, and gender norms/attitudes. The programs targeting both genders showed higher impact than those targeting either males or females. Adults were affected more than did adolescents by the programs. Traditional offline methods, virtual reality, and web-based methods significantly improved the outcomes, while videos did not. Conclusions: Our findings are beneficial for specifying and expanding the SMBB to develop detailed bystander interventions. Political efforts to enact laws against IPV and sexual assaults are essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of sexual violence has received significant attention in recent years through both the public and media agendas. This study replicates a 2014 study by Armstrong and Mahone using the backdrop of the #Metoo movement to examine the role of social media, views of rape culture and bystander intervention in predicting one's willingness to engage in collective action against sexual violence. A survey of young adults conducted in Fall 2019 found that the likelihood to engage in collective action against it remains strong. Results indicated that bystander intervention remained a key predictor, but that awareness of the #Metoo movement appeared to counteract the views on rape culture in predicting collective action. Implications for scholars and practitioners were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bystander interventions (BIs) primarily focus on increasing a sense of community and responsibility among students. This study examined moral norms as a determinant of intentions towards BI, within the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). College students at two universities (n = 291) completed an online survey measuring TPB constructs (e.g., intentions, perceived norms) and moral norms. Results indicated that moral norms were significantly associated with intentions toward BI, and appeared to be a valuable addition to the overall perceived norms construct. In addition, the law, parents, peers, and religion were identified as significant determinants of moral norms. Promoting collective responsibility to engage in BI and including a moral imperative to act in message development could increase the impact of BI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sexual violence (SV) incidence among college women has been invariant for the past 20 years. Innovative prevention strategies that are low resource and technology driven but demonstrate efficacy are greatly needed. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a novel theoretically driven internet-based intervention for first-year college students who identify as women (RealConsent) in reducing their risk of exposure to SV and alcohol misuse as well as increasing alcohol protective and bystander behaviors. Methods: This randomized controlled trial involved first-year college students who identified as women (n=881) attending 1 of 3 universities in the southeastern United States. Participants aged 18 to 20 years were randomized to RealConsent (444/881, 50.4%) or to an attention-matched placebo control (437/881, 49.6%). RealConsent is fully automated and consists of four 45-minute modules that incorporate entertainment-education media and proven behavior change techniques. The primary outcome was exposure to SV; the secondary outcomes were alcohol protective behaviors, dating risk behaviors, alcohol misuse, and bystander behavior. Study outcomes were assessed at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Results: Among participants with some exposure to SV, those in the RealConsent group experienced less exposure to SV than the placebo group (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.48, 95% CI 0.33-0.69; P =.002). Furthermore, participants in the RealConsent group engaged in more alcohol protective behaviors (adjusted odds ratio 1.17, 95% CI 0.12-2.22; P =.03) and were less likely to binge drink (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.81, 95% CI 0.67-0.97; P =.003). Finally, participants in the RealConsent group who had 100% dosage were more likely to engage in bystander behavior than those with <100% dosage plus placebo group (adjusted odds ratio 1.72, 95% CI 1.17-2.55; P =.006). Conclusions: A comprehensive exposure to SV, alcohol use, and bystander educational program was successful in decreasing the occurrence of exposure to SV among those most at risk and in increasing alcohol protective behaviors. Because of its web-based and mobile technologies, RealConsent can be easily disseminated and holds potential for reducing campus SV. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03726437; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03726437 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deployment of intersectionality frameworks in policy design and implementation is a way to ensure that the means and goals of interventions are congruent with target populations' understanding of their circumstances, their desired outcomes, and their empowerment. In this paper, we examine the ways concepts from psychology have been used to inform interventions and policies, and we use an intersectional lens to suggest improvements to these interventions to be more inclusive in their impact. We review three social policy interventions that were developed based on social psychological research: (1) sexual assault prevention programs based on bystander interventions; (2) so‐called "wise schooling" programs, intended to ameliorate gaps in academic achievement stemming from stereotype threat; and (3) programs aiming to foster pro‐environmental behavior, specifically, recyling. Following Cole's (2009) recommendations for using intersectionality in research in psychology together with the guiding principles that define Intersectionality‐Based Policy Analysis (Hankivsky et al., 2014), we interrogate how the psychological research that provides the foundation for these policies informs them at different points in the policy cycle and suggest alternatives designed to more equitably address these problems. Our analysis shows that these problems demand a multi‐level analysis that recognizes intersecting identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the effectiveness of two approaches for diminishing psychological reactance in the context of bystander intervention: preemptive and postscript mitigation. Undergraduates (N = 598) completed an online survey experiment. Participants viewed a message promoting bystander intervention and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: preemptive script, restoration postscript, or a message-only control (no pre/postscript). Consistent with past work, no differences were observed in the effectiveness of the preemptive and postscript mitigation techniques vis-à-vis reactance and behavioral intention. The use of a reactance mitigation strategy (preemptive or postscript) resulted in greater behavioral intention relative to a control message. However, post hoc analyses revealed this effect occurred among women, but not men. Counter to expectations, the use of preemptive and postscript strategies did not reduce reactance relative to a control message. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Youth who witness parental intimate partner violence are at increased risk for sexual violence. Existing data from a cluster RCT were used to determine the effectiveness of Green Dot bystander intervention to reduce sexual violence among high-school students who did and did not witness parental intimate partner violence.Study Design: A secondary analysis was conducted in 2021 of extant data from a 5-year cluster RCT.Setting/participants: A total of 26 high schools in Kentucky were randomized to intervention or control condition in 2010. A total of 15,863 surveys were analyzed from baseline, 30,014 from partial intervention implementation (Years 1 and 2), and 25,907 from full implementation (Years 3 and 4). The sample was stratified to include students who witnessed or did not witness parental intimate partner violence.Intervention: The bystander intervention program was delivered in 2 stages. During partial implementation, a persuasive speech describing rates, risk factors, and bystander-based approaches to violence prevention was provided to most students in schools randomized to the intervention. During full implementation, an in-depth 5-hour skill-based bystander training was provided to popular opinion leaders among the students in intervention schools (10%-15%).Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was sexual assault measured as perpetration and victimization. Secondary outcomes included sexual harassment and stalking, measured as victimization and perpetration.Results: During full implementation, among students who witnessed parental intimate partner violence, the intervention was associated with significant reductions in sexual assault perpetration (β= -0.21, p<0.01), sexual harassment perpetration (β= -0.29, p<0.001), sexual assault victimization (β= -0.25, p<0.01), and sexual harassment victimization (β= -0.45, p<0.001). For students who did not witness parental intimate partner violence, the intervention was only associated with reductions in sexual harassment (β= -0.19, p<0.001) and stalking (β= -0.09, p<0.01) victimization.Conclusions: As implemented in the parent RCT, the bystander training was more effective at reducing violent outcomes among those who witnessed parental intimate partner violence than in those who did not witness parental intimate partner violence.Trial Registration: This study is registered at www.Clinicaltrials: gov, under identifier NCT01878097. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This report described the logic model driven, data collection strategies used to launch an evaluation of Campus SaVE’s requirement that colleges provide bystander training to reduce sexual violence (SV).To describe campus-level bystander training to reduce SV, our team recruited several large public universities. On each campus, we identified staff responsible for implementing relevant bystander trainings and conducted surveys and interviews with these key informants to describe their campus’ bystander programming. Undergraduate students at each campus were electronically surveyed to measure their receipt of bystander training and SV experiences. Two student survey options were available at the campus level: a 11-item (‘mini’) survey focused only on bystander training and SV experiences subset and ‘full’ survey that additionally included multi-item scales outlined in our logic model.Of 72 eligible campuses, 17 provided survey data (Spring 2017–2019). Campus key informants were recruited, surveyed (n = 74), and interviewed (n = 68) to describe bystander program implementation. Electronic surveys were launched to 858,388 students; 100,306 completed surveys (response rate: 11.7%, range across 17 campuses: 3–23%). Using a recall of the past academic year, one in three students reported receiving a named bystander training; SV was disclosed as victimization (5.0%) or perpetration (0.6%). Psychometric properties of scales (‘full’ survey) indicated acceptable to good internal consistency for sexual harassment (α = 0.82), attitudes toward consent (α = 0.74), problematic alcohol use (α = 0.63), bystander self-efficacy (α = 0.76), and engaging peers in prevention (α = .88).This methodology report can inform others attempting to evaluate bystander programming to reduce sexual violence on college campuses.Methods: This report described the logic model driven, data collection strategies used to launch an evaluation of Campus SaVE’s requirement that colleges provide bystander training to reduce sexual violence (SV).To describe campus-level bystander training to reduce SV, our team recruited several large public universities. On each campus, we identified staff responsible for implementing relevant bystander trainings and conducted surveys and interviews with these key informants to describe their campus’ bystander programming. Undergraduate students at each campus were electronically surveyed to measure their receipt of bystander training and SV experiences. Two student survey options were available at the campus level: a 11-item (‘mini’) survey focused only on bystander training and SV experiences subset and ‘full’ survey that additionally included multi-item scales outlined in our logic model.Of 72 eligible campuses, 17 provided survey data (Spring 2017–2019). Campus key informants were recruited, surveyed (n = 74), and interviewed (n = 68) to describe bystander program implementation. Electronic surveys were launched to 858,388 students; 100,306 completed surveys (response rate: 11.7%, range across 17 campuses: 3–23%). Using a recall of the past academic year, one in three students reported receiving a named bystander training; SV was disclosed as victimization (5.0%) or perpetration (0.6%). Psychometric properties of scales (‘full’ survey) indicated acceptable to good internal consistency for sexual harassment (α = 0.82), attitudes toward consent (α = 0.74), problematic alcohol use (α = 0.63), bystander self-efficacy (α = 0.76), and engaging peers in prevention (α = .88).This methodology report can inform others attempting to evaluate bystander programming to reduce sexual violence on college campuses.Results: This report described the logic model driven, data collection strategies used to launch an evaluation of Campus SaVE’s requirement that colleges provide bystander training to reduce sexual violence (SV).To describe campus-level bystander training to reduce SV, our team recruited several large public universities. On each campus, we identified staff responsible for implementing relevant bystander trainings and conducted surveys and interviews with these key informants to describe their campus’ bystander programming. Undergraduate students at each campus were electronically surveyed to measure their receipt of bystander training and SV experiences. Two student survey options were available at the campus level: a 11-item (‘mini’) survey focused only on bystander training and SV experiences subset and ‘full’ survey that additionally included multi-item scales outlined in our logic model.Of 72 eligible campuses, 17 provided survey data (Spring 2017–2019). Campus key informants were recruited, surveyed (n = 74), and interviewed (n = 68) to describe bystander program implementation. Electronic surveys were launched to 858,388 students; 100,306 completed surveys (response rate: 11.7%, range across 17 campuses: 3–23%). Using a recall of the past academic year, one in three students reported receiving a named bystander training; SV was disclosed as victimization (5.0%) or perpetration (0.6%). Psychometric properties of scales (‘full’ survey) indicated acceptable to good internal consistency for sexual harassment (α = 0.82), attitudes toward consent (α = 0.74), problematic alcohol use (α = 0.63), bystander self-efficacy (α = 0.76), and engaging peers in prevention (α = .88).This methodology report can inform others attempting to evaluate bystander programming to reduce sexual violence on college campuses.Conclusions: This report described the logic model driven, data collection strategies used to launch an evaluation of Campus SaVE’s requirement that colleges provide bystander training to reduce sexual violence (SV).To describe campus-level bystander training to reduce SV, our team recruited several large public universities. On each campus, we identified staff responsible for implementing relevant bystander trainings and conducted surveys and interviews with these key informants to describe their campus’ bystander programming. Undergraduate students at each campus were electronically surveyed to measure their receipt of bystander training and SV experiences. Two student survey options were available at the campus level: a 11-item (‘mini’) survey focused only on bystander training and SV experiences subset and ‘full’ survey that additionally included multi-item scales outlined in our logic model.Of 72 eligible campuses, 17 provided survey data (Spring 2017–2019). Campus key informants were recruited, surveyed (n = 74), and interviewed (n = 68) to describe bystander program implementation. Electronic surveys were launched to 858,388 students; 100,306 completed surveys (response rate: 11.7%, range across 17 campuses: 3–23%). Using a recall of the past academic year, one in three students reported receiving a named bystander training; SV was disclosed as victimization (5.0%) or perpetration (0.6%). Psychometric properties of scales (‘full’ survey) indicated acceptable to good internal consistency for sexual harassment (α = 0.82), attitudes toward consent (α = 0.74), problematic alcohol use (α = 0.63), bystander self-efficacy (α = 0.76), and engaging peers in prevention (α = .88).This methodology report can inform others attempting to evaluate bystander programming to reduce sexual violence on college campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In this cohort analyses, we sought to estimate the longer-term efficacy of a high-school based bystander intervention to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) into young adulthood.Seniors were recruited from 23 of 26 high schools that participated in the original RCT (2010–2014) designed to test the effectiveness of a bystander intervention to reduce GBV. Of 3,389 high school seniors who completed an electronic survey in their last term, 1,986 complete at least one annual follow up survey through 2018 (58.6% retention). Receipt of bystander training was defined based on (1) the high school the participant attended (‘as randomized’ in the original RCT) and (2) participants’ report of additional bystander training received after high school (‘as reported’). The primary GBV outcomes were sexual violence perpetration and victimization rates (%) for the past 12 months.Only at the final follow up were significant reductions in sexual violence perpetration (SVP) noted for the ‘as randomized’ analyses. Self-reported SVP rates were 38% lower (adjusted rate ratio = 0.62; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.48–0.81) among 1,107 participants who had attended schools randomized to the bystander intervention (SVP = 2.1%: 95% CI; 1.6–2.9) relative to 877 participants who had attended control schools (SVP = 3.4%; 95% CI: 3.0-3.9). Receipt of additional bystander training after high school was not associated with lower rates of any GBV form when compared with participants receiving no bystander training in or after high school.Bystander training was not consistently associated with longer-term reductions in GBV perpetration nor victimization in this prospective cohort study based on a large school-based RCT.Methods: In this cohort analyses, we sought to estimate the longer-term efficacy of a high-school based bystander intervention to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) into young adulthood.Seniors were recruited from 23 of 26 high schools that participated in the original RCT (2010–2014) designed to test the effectiveness of a bystander intervention to reduce GBV. Of 3,389 high school seniors who completed an electronic survey in their last term, 1,986 complete at least one annual follow up survey through 2018 (58.6% retention). Receipt of bystander training was defined based on (1) the high school the participant attended (‘as randomized’ in the original RCT) and (2) participants’ report of additional bystander training received after high school (‘as reported’). The primary GBV outcomes were sexual violence perpetration and victimization rates (%) for the past 12 months.Only at the final follow up were significant reductions in sexual violence perpetration (SVP) noted for the ‘as randomized’ analyses. Self-reported SVP rates were 38% lower (adjusted rate ratio = 0.62; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.48–0.81) among 1,107 participants who had attended schools randomized to the bystander intervention (SVP = 2.1%: 95% CI; 1.6–2.9) relative to 877 participants who had attended control schools (SVP = 3.4%; 95% CI: 3.0-3.9). Receipt of additional bystander training after high school was not associated with lower rates of any GBV form when compared with participants receiving no bystander training in or after high school.Bystander training was not consistently associated with longer-term reductions in GBV perpetration nor victimization in this prospective cohort study based on a large school-based RCT.Results: In this cohort analyses, we sought to estimate the longer-term efficacy of a high-school based bystander intervention to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) into young adulthood.Seniors were recruited from 23 of 26 high schools that participated in the original RCT (2010–2014) designed to test the effectiveness of a bystander intervention to reduce GBV. Of 3,389 high school seniors who completed an electronic survey in their last term, 1,986 complete at least one annual follow up survey through 2018 (58.6% retention). Receipt of bystander training was defined based on (1) the high school the participant attended (‘as randomized’ in the original RCT) and (2) participants’ report of additional bystander training received after high school (‘as reported’). The primary GBV outcomes were sexual violence perpetration and victimization rates (%) for the past 12 months.Only at the final follow up were significant reductions in sexual violence perpetration (SVP) noted for the ‘as randomized’ analyses. Self-reported SVP rates were 38% lower (adjusted rate ratio = 0.62; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.48–0.81) among 1,107 participants who had attended schools randomized to the bystander intervention (SVP = 2.1%: 95% CI; 1.6–2.9) relative to 877 participants who had attended control schools (SVP = 3.4%; 95% CI: 3.0-3.9). Receipt of additional bystander training after high school was not associated with lower rates of any GBV form when compared with participants receiving no bystander training in or after high school.Bystander training was not consistently associated with longer-term reductions in GBV perpetration nor victimization in this prospective cohort study based on a large school-based RCT.Conclusions: In this cohort analyses, we sought to estimate the longer-term efficacy of a high-school based bystander intervention to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) into young adulthood.Seniors were recruited from 23 of 26 high schools that participated in the original RCT (2010–2014) designed to test the effectiveness of a bystander intervention to reduce GBV. Of 3,389 high school seniors who completed an electronic survey in their last term, 1,986 complete at least one annual follow up survey through 2018 (58.6% retention). Receipt of bystander training was defined based on (1) the high school the participant attended (‘as randomized’ in the original RCT) and (2) participants’ report of additional bystander training received after high school (‘as reported’). The primary GBV outcomes were sexual violence perpetration and victimization rates (%) for the past 12 months.Only at the final follow up were significant reductions in sexual violence perpetration (SVP) noted for the ‘as randomized’ analyses. Self-reported SVP rates were 38% lower (adjusted rate ratio = 0.62; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.48–0.81) among 1,107 participants who had attended schools randomized to the bystander intervention (SVP = 2.1%: 95% CI; 1.6–2.9) relative to 877 participants who had attended control schools (SVP = 3.4%; 95% CI: 3.0-3.9). Receipt of additional bystander training after high school was not associated with lower rates of any GBV form when compared with participants receiving no bystander training in or after high school.Bystander training was not consistently associated with longer-term reductions in GBV perpetration nor victimization in this prospective cohort study based on a large school-based RCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on young adult novels treating secondary characters serving as bystanders to sexual violence. Topics include lacking federal K-12 law encouraging and promoting similar bystander intervention education for adolescents; and educational efforts addressing and shifting norms about sexual assault and violence containing classroom teachers and curriculum at the secondary level.

Objective: The present study documented the extent to which Native American youth reported opportunities to intervene in situations of sexual assault and harassment, the types of behaviors that youth engaged in when given the opportunity to intervene, and whether youth were engaging in proactive behaviors to change social norms to be intolerant of these forms of aggression. Method: Data come from a survey of 144 Native American middle and high school youth living on an Indian reservation. Results: Analyses revealed that in the past 6 months, 59.1% of participants had opportunity to intervene in a sexual assault and harassment. Opportunity to intervene in sexual assault or harassment was associated with lower feelings of mattering and being older. Among participants who reported bystander opportunity to intervene in sexual assault or harassment, 26.3% reported engaging in positive bystander behavior (e.g., trying to get help or using distraction to help). A closer connection to culture was related to a higher likelihood of engaging in positive bystander action. Roughly half of the participants reported engaging in proactive bystander behavior (e.g., efforts to promote intolerance of these forms of aggression) even in the absence of opportunity. Older youth were more likely to engage in proactive bystander behavior than younger youth. Conclusions: Bystander-focused programs may be an effective tool to prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault among Native American youth, especially those that include culturally relevant content that helps to strength connections to culture and equipping younger youth with skills to engage in proactive bystander behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use is often involved in sexual offending. Understanding the ways in which substances are used in sexual offending is critical for developing prevention strategies. The present study explored the ways that substances are involved in the perpetration of sexual abuse against adults and minors, including intoxication and supplying substances to victims by individuals convicted of sexual offenses. Data were collected from the records of 2803 individuals convicted of sexual offenses in the United States. A series of binary logistic regressions found that offenses against adults were more likely to have alcohol or drugs involved than offenses against minors, while supplying substances to victims was less likely in intrafamilial than in extrafamilial offenses against minors. Findings suggest that implementing sexual violence prevention strategies (e.g. bystander intervention) in adult drinking contexts and integrating education about problematic substance use behaviors (e.g. grooming) during childhood prevention programs can aid in sexual abuse prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applied the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) to understand barriers and facilitators to bystander behaviors in UK students. The BCW includes detailed examination of the capabilities, opportunities, and motivations involved in behaviors. Two surveys (n = 515; n = 201) and a focus group study (n = 12) were undertaken. Capability to intervene may be influenced by confidence and beliefs about physical ability and safety. Students appeared to have the physical opportunity to intervene, but social opportunity might be influenced by cultural norms. Motivations might be influenced by beliefs as well as inherent stereotypes about perpetrators and victims. Behavior change techniques (BCTs) such as instruction on how to perform the behavior, reattribution and creating a valued self-identity should be applied to overcome these barriers. A logic model to theorize the change processes underlying bystander behaviors in this population offers a new perspective on what needs to be addressed in interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The number of reportings on sexual abuse (SA), sexual violence (SV) cases covered in the media has risen a significant amount with most cases involving women and children. The aim of the study is to explore the questions: Are people aware of sexual abuse and sexual violence in the media? What are the predictors of awareness of sexual abuse and sexual violence? Does the awareness of sexual abuse and sexual violence in the media affect the actions of the individuals? Methods: A representative survey of the German-speaking resident population (2020) on physical and mental well-being was used. The participants (N = 2,503: females = 50.9%) were between the ages of 14 and 97 (M = 49.81). The German version of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, The General Habitual Well-Being Questionnaire and questions about own experiences of sexual harassment on the internet , experiences of domestic sexual abuse and different socio-economic variables were used. The outcome variables regarding the awareness of SA and SV in the media , different types of scandals (church, pedophile, USA), #MeToo-debate and the change in actions were used. Frequency analyses and binary regressions were conducted. Results: One thousand five hundred and fifty-five (62.6%) respondents answered yes to being aware of SA and SV in the media. The results show that females, aging, number of children in household, Protestant and Catholic religion, school graduation , own experience(s) of sexual harassment on the internet , own experience(s) of SA in childhood , and Adverse Childhood Experiences have a significant higher association to the awareness of SA and SV in the media. German nationality and Muslim religion have a significant lower association. The variables that most commonly affected the awareness of SA and SV, scandals, debate and the individual actions were age , own experiences of sexual harassment on the internet and the Protestant religion. Conclusion: Advertising more support centers, hotlines and linking this information to sexual abuse cases covered in the media should be considered. Media bystander interventions could be helpful to train people to react appropriately. Further investigation that considers the different types of media and its influence on the awareness of SA and SV is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores if bystanders to sexual violence are assigned blame when they fail to intervene. During 2017, 31 female and 20 male U.S. college students were asked to read three of six randomly assigned sexual assault vignettes and participate in an interview about their perceptions of bystander inaction. Qualitative analyses reveal that college students do hold bystanders accountable for inaction, but the assignment of blame depends upon the bystander's knowledge of the perpetrator's intentions, the degree of similarity between respondents and the bystanders in the vignettes, and the degree to which the bystanders could have behaved differently. Bystanders do face moderate blame for their inaction, this is true in a variety of assault situations, and it suggests bystander training increases perceptions of culpability for non‐intervention. This information can help campus administrators improve the efficacy of their bystander education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Programs to prevent peer sexual violence that encourage positive bystander intervention are proliferating. Yet, little is known about how these prosocial behaviors unfold over time across middle to later adolescence. The current study examined helpful bystander actions over three years among students in grades 7–10 (mean age 13.7, range 12–18) at baseline (N = 2539, 53.2% girls). Surveys assessed bystander behavior, social norms, and use of alcohol. Multilevel logistic regression examined patterns of change over time, as well as how changes in attitudes and binge drinking predicted changes in taking bystander action to prevent peer violence. Positive bystander behaviors overall decreased over time, consistent with previous work on bullying. Higher positive social norms and lower denial of sexual violence as a problem were associated with more positive helping behaviors across different waves of data. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of bystander intervention training for peer sexual violence prevention may be enhanced by developing strategies to work against the observed developmental decline in helping, perhaps by social marketing campaigns that can bolster positive social norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a two-by-two vignette-based experimental design, this study aimed to examine the effects of women's symbolic representation in sexual assault units and the arrest rate for interpersonal violence cases on individuals' perceptions of police legitimacy, support for leadership, and willingness to engage in bystander intervention behaviors. Using responses from 357 students attending one university in the Midwest, the results showed that a higher level of women's representation was associated with more police legitimacy and greater support for the leader when the agency had a low arrest rate. Whereas police legitimacy was related to bystanders' intentions to intervene, women's representation in the unit and the arrest rate was not. The findings indicate that women's representation in policing strengthens the support for the police in gendered areas when the agency is underperforming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Experiencing sexual violence is associated with a significantly increased risk of adolescent pregnancy. The Green Dot bystander intervention training reduced sexual violence (SV) perpetration and victimization in a large high school-based randomized control trial (RCT). The purpose of this paper was to investigate the efficacy of Green Dot training in reducing pregnancy rates among female and male students participating in this RCT.Across the four years of the bystander intervention, 63,320 students completed annual surveys. Students’ reports of being or causing pregnancy in the past 12 months (4.0%; n = 2,560) were significantly times higher, 5 to 7-fold, for those disclosing SV victimization or perpetration, respectively. The effect of bystander intervention training was analyzed ‘as randomized’ and ‘as reported’ with self-reported, 12-month pregnancy rates as the primary outcome.When Green Dot was fully implemented in the last two years of the RCT, this intervention was associated with a modest yet not significant reduction in pregnancy rates (aRR = 0.89; 95% CI:0.77–1.03; ‘as randomized analyses’). Reported receipt of Green Dot training was associated with a 33% reduction in pregnancy rates (aRR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.64–0.91; p = .01) and this pattern was more pronounced in the latter two years of the RCT (aRR = 0.68; 95%CI: 0.54–0.86).Green Dot training did reduce sexual violence perpetration and victimization, and this training appears to additionally reduce pregnancy rates over time.Methods: Experiencing sexual violence is associated with a significantly increased risk of adolescent pregnancy. The Green Dot bystander intervention training reduced sexual violence (SV) perpetration and victimization in a large high school-based randomized control trial (RCT). The purpose of this paper was to investigate the efficacy of Green Dot training in reducing pregnancy rates among female and male students participating in this RCT.Across the four years of the bystander intervention, 63,320 students completed annual surveys. Students’ reports of being or causing pregnancy in the past 12 months (4.0%; n = 2,560) were significantly times higher, 5 to 7-fold, for those disclosing SV victimization or perpetration, respectively. The effect of bystander intervention training was analyzed ‘as randomized’ and ‘as reported’ with self-reported, 12-month pregnancy rates as the primary outcome.When Green Dot was fully implemented in the last two years of the RCT, this intervention was associated with a modest yet not significant reduction in pregnancy rates (aRR = 0.89; 95% CI:0.77–1.03; ‘as randomized analyses’). Reported receipt of Green Dot training was associated with a 33% reduction in pregnancy rates (aRR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.64–0.91; p = .01) and this pattern was more pronounced in the latter two years of the RCT (aRR = 0.68; 95%CI: 0.54–0.86).Green Dot training did reduce sexual violence perpetration and victimization, and this training appears to additionally reduce pregnancy rates over time.Results: Experiencing sexual violence is associated with a significantly increased risk of adolescent pregnancy. The Green Dot bystander intervention training reduced sexual violence (SV) perpetration and victimization in a large high school-based randomized control trial (RCT). The purpose of this paper was to investigate the efficacy of Green Dot training in reducing pregnancy rates among female and male students participating in this RCT.Across the four years of the bystander intervention, 63,320 students completed annual surveys. Students’ reports of being or causing pregnancy in the past 12 months (4.0%; n = 2,560) were significantly times higher, 5 to 7-fold, for those disclosing SV victimization or perpetration, respectively. The effect of bystander intervention training was analyzed ‘as randomized’ and ‘as reported’ with self-reported, 12-month pregnancy rates as the primary outcome.When Green Dot was fully implemented in the last two years of the RCT, this intervention was associated with a modest yet not significant reduction in pregnancy rates (aRR = 0.89; 95% CI:0.77–1.03; ‘as randomized analyses’). Reported receipt of Green Dot training was associated with a 33% reduction in pregnancy rates (aRR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.64–0.91; p = .01) and this pattern was more pronounced in the latter two years of the RCT (aRR = 0.68; 95%CI: 0.54–0.86).Green Dot training did reduce sexual violence perpetration and victimization, and this training appears to additionally reduce pregnancy rates over time.Conclusions: Experiencing sexual violence is associated with a significantly increased risk of adolescent pregnancy. The Green Dot bystander intervention training reduced sexual violence (SV) perpetration and victimization in a large high school-based randomized control trial (RCT). The purpose of this paper was to investigate the efficacy of Green Dot training in reducing pregnancy rates among female and male students participating in this RCT.Across the four years of the bystander intervention, 63,320 students completed annual surveys. Students’ reports of being or causing pregnancy in the past 12 months (4.0%; n = 2,560) were significantly times higher, 5 to 7-fold, for those disclosing SV victimization or perpetration, respectively. The effect of bystander intervention training was analyzed ‘as randomized’ and ‘as reported’ with self-reported, 12-month pregnancy rates as the primary outcome.When Green Dot was fully implemented in the last two years of the RCT, this intervention was associated with a modest yet not significant reduction in pregnancy rates (aRR = 0.89; 95% CI:0.77–1.03; ‘as randomized analyses’). Reported receipt of Green Dot training was associated with a 33% reduction in pregnancy rates (aRR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.64–0.91; p = .01) and this pattern was more pronounced in the latter two years of the RCT (aRR = 0.68; 95%CI: 0.54–0.86).Green Dot training did reduce sexual violence perpetration and victimization, and this training appears to additionally reduce pregnancy rates over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine whether pro-bullying attitudes mediate the relation between affective and cognitive empathy and a student's willingness to intervene in support of a bullied peer. Participants were 764 early adolescents (372 boys, 392 girls) from the Illinois Study of Bullying and Sexual Violence (ISBSV). As predicted, pro-bullying attitudes successfully mediated the prospective relation between affective empathy and bystander intervention but failed to mediate the relation between cognitive empathy and bystander intervention. These results indicate that affective empathy may promote bystander willingness to intervene on behalf of a bullied peer by inhibiting pro-bullying attitudes. Intervention strategies designed to enhance affective empathy and challenge pro-bullying attitudes in bystanders may be of assistance in reducing bullying behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The #MeToo movement centers on raising awareness of risky situations for victimization and encourages the general community to intervene in these situations. Similarly, sexual violence awareness programming that take place on college campuses throughout the academic year can prime individuals to be active bystanders. Except for a handful of systematically evaluated bystander intervention programs, however, it is unclear how informal sexual violence awareness programming affects actual intervention behaviors. The link between prior victimization and bystander intervention is also not well understood. Given these gaps in research, the current study examines how exposure to sexual violence awareness programming and prior victimization are associated with bystander intervention. In particular, we consider the intersection of prior sexual victimization and participating in sexual violence awareness programming on campus. Utilizing a sample of 735 college students from a four-year southeastern university, the results of the current study demonstrate victims of sexual violence who attend sexual violence awareness programming are less likely to intervene. The findings of the current study highlight the importance of program design and suggest that increased attention to the problem of sexual violence does not necessarily translate into bystander intervention. Overall, this may run counter to goals of the #MeToo movement and deserves further attention. Avenues for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing one's readiness to help (Baynard 2010) and awareness of campus resources (Hayes-Smith and Levett 2010) is vital to the success of bystander intervention, which has been identified as a promising strategy for engaging student-athletes in sexual violence prevention (Moynihan et al. 2015). While studies suggest that high school coaches may play an influential role in promoting engagement in sexual violence prevention with their student-athletes (Miller et al. 2013), there is a lack of research on the potential influence of college coaches. This exploratory study examines college coaches' impact of discussing sexual violence with student-athletes on engaging in sexual violence prevention. Data collected from a Mid-Atlantic Division I university indicate that student-athletes who discussed sexual violence with their coach were more likely to take action to prevent sexual violence and more familiar with campus resources than those who did not. Implications for research and practice will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: High rates of alcohol-related sexual assault among young adults represent a significant public health problem. Bystander intervention programs are a promising strategy to reduce sexual assault. However, little is known about how bystander intoxication may modify bystander intervention effectiveness. We examined the role of bystander intoxication and intoxication levels of the hypothetical victim and perpetrator on outcomes associated with Latané and Darley's (1970) steps of bystander intervention, which include noticing a situation, assessment of risk and need for intervention, taking personal responsibility for intervening, and selecting an intervention. Method: In a field setting, participants were recruited from a downtown area surrounded by drinking establishments. After providing informed consent, 327 participants (45% women) 21 to 29 years of age listened to 1 of 4 sexual assault vignettes (varied by victim and perpetrator intoxication), responded to questionnaires assessing outcomes related to steps of bystander intervention, and completed a field breathalyzer test. Results: Increased participant intoxication was related to decreased accuracy of situation recall and assessment of risk and need for intervention, but not ratings of personal responsibility to intervene, chosen intervention strategy, or confidence to intervene. Conclusions: Intoxication could influence how a bystander interprets a hypothetical nonconsensual sexual interaction at the level of accurate situation recall and risk assessment. If earlier steps of information processing are impaired by intoxication, later steps of intervention enactment may not occur successfully. Bystander intervention programming may consider incorporating training to overcome the impairing effects of intoxication for identifying harmful situations and choosing to intervene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effectiveness of Safe Sisters, a sexual assault bystander intervention program that targets members of college sororities. Analysis of covariance results show significant differences between treatment and waitlist control groups on posttest scores for action, bystander efficacy, intent to help friends, and intent to help strangers. Significant differences are not shown between treatment and waitlist control groups on posttest scores for precontemplation, contemplation, and rape myth acceptance. Limitations and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bystander intervention education has been a common feature on college campuses for more than a decade. Although research has explored the degree to which bystander training influences students' attitudes toward sexual assault, their perceptions of their own efficacy to intervene, and their intentions to help others, very little is known about how such training impacts students' perceptions of bystanders who knowingly fail to intervene. In other words, what impact is bystander education having on broader expectations for bystander behaviors? This research addresses this question using in-depth interview data from 51 college students. Results suggest that although students report a general expectation that bystanders should intervene in sexually threatening situations, intrapersonal, microsystem, exosystem, and macrosystem factors, nonetheless, interact with one another to excuse or justify nonintervention by bystanders. Implications for campus programming are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]