Bringing in the Bystander
Overview of the "Bringing in the Bystander" in-person prevention program
This sexual violence prevention program uses a community of responsibility model to teach bystanders how to intervene safely and effectively in cases of sexual violence before, during, and after incidents with strangers, acquaintances, or friends.
- A bystander-focused prevention program differs from other sexual violence prevention programs in that it does not address men as potential perpetrators or women as potential victims. Rather it approaches both women and men as potential bystanders or witnesses to behaviors related to sexual violence.
- The program focuses on sexual violence prevention in a broader community context. Participants are presented with strategies that reflect an appropriate level of intervention needed for inappropriate behavior.
- The program identifies a continuum of inappropriate behaviors and asks that each participant make a commitment to intervene.
- The program was conducted and evaluated on this campus with a large number of students, and results from the evaluation demonstrate he efficacy of this program for increasing participants’ knowledge regarding pro-social bystander behaviors.
- The program is conducted in groups that provide an active learning environment for education about the role of bystanders and communities, information about the problem of sexual violence, and opportunities to build pro-social, safe prevention skills.
- A research component accompanies the programming.
Learning Objectives of the “Bringing in the Bystander” in-person prevention program:
- To provide skill-building opportunities for both direct and indirect intervention in order to increase helping behavior without placing bystanders own safety in jeopardy.
- To demonstrate how working within broader a community model of change provides a perspective that shows how all community members have a direct stake and role to play in preventing sexual violence by changing community knowledge, attitudes and behaviors.
- To incorporate predictors of successful intervention that are reinforced through education: recognizing inappropriate behavior; practicing skill building, requesting a commitment to intervene and role modeling prosocial and safe behaviors.
If interested in learning more about this training opportunity, please contact Vicki Banyard at 862-2869, vlb@cisunix.unh.edu or Mary Moynihan at 862-5023, marym@cisunix.unh.edu.