Effectiveness of a peer-led bystander intervention program to reduce sexual assault victimization

The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of a peer-led bystander intervention program among students on a Division I college campus. This program was developed and included into an existing peer-led sexual assault and rape prevention curriculum. The goal of this program was to increase the confidence, modify the intentions, and raise awareness with regards to bystander intervention among the participants in order to aid in the prevention of sexual assault and rape victimization. All participants (n=91) completed a survey prior to and after a 1 time, 1 hour long program that identified barriers that possibly inhibit a bystander from becoming involved in varying levels of sexual victimization. Along with barrier identification, this program discussed methods that a bystander could comfortably and safely take to help another in need. Decreasing one's overall negative attitudes and beliefs regarding bystander intervention was a focus of this study. On a 50 point scale, participants' pre-test scores showed that 2 participants had low intentions, 57 had moderate intentions, and 32 had high intentions to intervene as a bystander (M=32.71, SD=5.64). Post-test scores illustrated an overall increase in test scores (M=37.08, SD=6.71) with 2 participants with low intentions, 35 with moderate intentions, and 53 with high intentions (t(91) = -7.02, p < .001), indicating an increase in the participants willingness to intervene. Results also indicated 7 of the 10 questions asked significantly increased from pre to post-test (p < 0.05).The results point to a positive effect of the peer-led bystander intervention program.