Students as Prosocial Bystanders to Sexual Assault: Demographic Correlates of Intervention Norms, Intentions, and Missed Opportunities

J Interpers Violence. 2020 Feb;35(3-4):731-754. doi: 10.1177/0886260517689888. Epub 2017 Jan 29.

Abstract

Sexual assault is a major public health issue. Bystander engagement programs are becoming widely used to combat sexual assault on college campuses. The purpose of this study was to examine students' intervention norms, intentions, opportunities, and behaviors as bystanders to sexual assault. Undergraduate students (N = 779) completed the Sexual Assault Bystander Behavior Questionnaire in the fall of 2014. The t tests revealed differences in students' intervention norms, intentions, opportunities, and missed opportunities based on sex, race/ethnicity, athletic participation, and fraternity/sorority membership. The findings support the use of additional measures to assess bystander behavior and to identify student subpopulations that may benefit from programs aimed at increasing prosocial intervention.

Keywords: alcohol and drugs; anything related to sexual assault; cultural contexts; sexual assault.

MeSH terms

  • Aggression / psychology*
  • Female
  • Helping Behavior
  • Humans
  • Intention
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Male
  • Rape / prevention & control*
  • Rape / psychology*
  • Sex Offenses / psychology
  • Students / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Universities
  • Young Adult