Multi-year Evaluation of "Green Dot" Bystander Intervention on College Campuses

• In Event: Dating and Sexual Violence on High School and University Campuses

Abstract

This paper reports the results of an observational study comparing rates of bystander behaviors, violence acceptance, and violence by type in a college with the Green Dot bystander intervention (n=5,867) compared with two colleges without this program (n=9,480) over three years (2010-12). Analyses of covariates and among students attending the intervention campus show that those receiving intensive bystander training has lower violence acceptance scores (p=.03) higher bystander efficacy scores, most frequent engagement of peers in violence prevention, more frequent actual and observed bystander behaviors, and lower violence victimization (p=.01) and perpetration (p=.05) than students receiving no training. When comparing the intervention versus comparison campuses, rates of violence victimization (p<.0001) and perpetration (p=.001) were lower among students attending the college with the bystander intervention relative to violence rates among students attending the comparison campuses.

Authors

• Ann L. Coker, University of Kentucky

• Bonnie Fisher, University of Cincinnati

• Suzanne C. Swan, University of South Carolina

• Corrine Williams, University of Kentucky

• Heather M. Bush, University of Kentucky