Situational Characteristics and Direct vs. Indirect Bystander Intervention Among College Students

• In Event: Bystander Behavior and Intervention Strategies in Contexts of Violence

Abstract

Colleges and universities across the United States have attempted to address the ubiquitous issue of sexual violence on campuses through a variety of prevention and intervention programs, including bystander intervention. Much of the extant literature on bystander intervention has neglected to explore how situational characteristics might affect the likelihood of intervention during an episode of sexual violence even though these variables have the potential to influence the effectiveness of bystander intervention programs. Furthermore, little is known about how situational characteristics might impact direct (i.e., saying or doing something) versus indirect (i.e., calling the police) forms of intervention. Using data collection from college students (N = 626) at a single university located in a large Southeastern metropolitan city, the current study utilizes a factorial survey design to investigate the impact of location, victim/offender sex, and perceptions of alcohol use on self-reported intervention in an ambiguous sexual scenario. Preliminary results indicate that situational characteristics influence bystander decision-making, with key differences between direct and indirect intervention. Policy implications and future directions for research on bystander intervention are discussed.

Author

• Chrystina Y. Hoffman, University of West Florida