Multi - College Bystander Intervention Evaluation for Violence Prevention

Abstract

Introduction The 2013 Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act requires U.S. colleges to provide bystander-based training to reduce sexual violence, but little is known about the efficacy of such programs for preventing violent behavior. This study provides the first multiyear evaluation of a bystander intervention’s campus-level impact on reducing interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration behavior on college campuses. Methods First-year students attending three similarly sized public university campuses were randomly selected and invited to complete online surveys in the spring terms of 2010–2013. On one campus, the Green Dot bystander intervention had been implemented since 2008 (Intervention, n=2,979) and two Comparison campuses had no bystander programming at baseline (Comparison, n=4,132). Data analyses conducted in 2014–2015 compared violence rates by condition over the four survey periods. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate violence risk on Intervention relative to Comparison campuses adjusting for demographic factors and time (2010–2013). Results Interpersonal violence victimization rates (measured in the past academic year) were 17% lower among students attending the Intervention (46.4%) relative to Comparison (55.7%) campuses (adjusted rate ratio, 0.83; 95% CI=0.79, 0.88); a similar pattern held for interpersonal violence perpetration (25.5% in Intervention; 32.2% in Comparison; adjusted rate ratio, 0.79; 95% CI=0.71, 0.86). Violence rates were lower on Intervention versus Comparison campuses for unwanted sexual victimization, sexual harassment, stalking, and psychological dating violence victimization and perpetration (p<0.01). Conclusions Green Dot may be an efficacious intervention to reduce violence at the community-level and meet Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act bystander training requirements.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women and the Role of Intimate Partner Violence — United States, 2003–2014

“…Approximately one in 10 victims of IPV-related homicide experienced some form of violence in the preceding month, which could have provided opportunities for intervention. Bystander programs, such as Green Dot, ¶ teach participants how to recognize situations or behaviors that might become violent and safely and effectively intervene to reduce the likelihood of assault ( 8 ). In health care settings, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening women of childbearing age for IPV and referring women who screen positive for intervention services **.…”

Sexual harassment training effectiveness: An interdisciplinary review and call for research

“…Of 14 identified studies investigating the relationship between SH training and perceived incidence of SH, eight report that at least some types of SH training are associated with lower levels of SH (Antecol & Cobb‐Clark, ; Barak, ; Coker et al, ; Gruber, ; Jacobs et al, ; Meloni & Austin, ; Reese & Lindenberg, ; Williams, Lam, & Shively, ), and six studies did not find a relationship between SH training and the incidence of SH (de Haas et al, ; Estrada & Laurence, ; Fried et al, ; Magley et al, , Studies 1 and 2; Williams et al, ). The following observations are based on a review and comparison of the studies in those two groups.…”

Sexual Violence in Academia: Policy, Theory, and Prevention Considerations

“…Given that much sexual violence transpires in the party culture, it is important that students be versed in when and how to intervene in high-risk situations, as well as the different forms of intervention. One of the most promising avenues for this is through bystander intervention programs and policies (see e.g., Coker et al, 2016). One of the strengths of these programs is that they are applicable to all forms of sexual violence and apply to behaviors both on-and off-campus.…”