This study examined bystander intervention and risk recognition in sexual assault situations. Participants read a hypothetical acquaintance rape scenario and reported their comfort levels and potential actions after each scene. The researchers hypothesized that discomfort would increase over time, those uncomfortable early would be more likely to leave, and responses would change. Results partially supported the hypotheses, showing increased discomfort and relationship between early discomfort and leaving. This validated using scenarios to assess bystander behavior with the goal of improving sexual assault prevention education.

1. Results
An Experimental Method of Assessing Bystander Intervention
and Risk Recognition in Sexual Assault Situations
Taylor Morris, Danielle Carioto, Rebecca Dinsmore,
Kasey Jerioski and the Coping, Stress and Trauma Lab
Faculty Advisor: Melanie Hetzel-Riggin, Ph.D.
Penn State Erie – The Behrend College
Abstract
Current strategies for Rape and Sexual Assault Education are
shown to be ineffective. Much of the target is focused on risk
reduction, where emphasis is placed on the potential victim
(which is a woman in educational scenarios) by giving them
pointers on what not to do. In the current study, we tried to
determine when and if people recognized the signs of sexual
assault, and hopefully intervene as bystanders. We believed
that bystander intervention will greatly reduce completed
sexual assaults. Participants were asked to view a rape scenario
from the position of a bystander, and afterwards they were
asked when they felt uncomfortable, when they would
intervene, and what they would do (if anything). We believed
that participants’ levels of uncomfortableness will increase
throughout the study, those who felt uncomfortable in the first
scene would be more likely to leave the party, and that there
would be change over time in participants’ actions and feeling.
Future Studies
o Include “why” after “what would you do”
o Specific bystander skills for different situations; examples within study:
o Very intoxicated
o Isolated
o Witnessing a sexual assault/rape
o Use virtual reality at a party
o Based upon decision, the simulation will change
o Measure physiological responses
o Consider unintentional effects of bystander training
Purpose of this Study
o Assess risk recognition and intervention from the
perspective of a bystander in a sexual assault situation
o What causes people to intervene?
o Long Term Goal of Research Line:
o Administer educational programs that incorporate our
findings
o Decrease sexual assault on college campuses
Hypotheses
o Participants’ levels of uncomfortableness will increase
throughout the study
o Participants who feel uncomfortable in the first scene are
more likely to choose to leave the party
o There will be change over time in participants’ actions and
feeling
o Validating measure as bystander behavior
Participants:
o 52.2% Female
o Ethnicity:
o 76.2% Caucasian
o 12.6% Asian or Pacific Islander
o 6.3% Black
o 5.3% Hispanic
o 2.4% American Indian/Alaskan Native
o 1.5% Prefer not to answer
o Year in School
o 56.8% Freshmen
o 26.2% Sophomore
o 8.3% Junior
o 8.7% Senior
o Major school
o 29.8% Science
o 26.3% Humanities/Social Sciences
o 25.4% Engineering
o 18.5% Business
Discussion
o Hypothesis 1: Uncomfortableness will increase throughout study.
o There was an overall increase in uncomfortableness, but
increase was not steady.
o Hypothesis 2: Being uncomfortable in scene 1 will lead to leaving party
o Supported, as uncomfortableness levels increased, so did
participants’ likelihood of leaving.
o Hypothesis 3: We were able to show change in feelings and behaviors.
o Validated measure of assessing bystander behavior.
o Other findings:
o There was a significant, positive relationship between scores
on the decisional balance scale and leaving the scenario the
first scene.
o Higher scores related to leaving in scene 1.
o Implications
o Specific training for bystanders
o Feelings and actions change throughout the script
(as we found in our research)
o Unintentional effects of bystander training
o Those people likely to intervene (from Decisional Balance
Scale) leave before they can intervene
o Limitations
o Situation is of a female victim and a male perpetrator
o Hypothetical situation
o people are putting what they want their best self to
do
References
o Banyard, V. L. (2011). Who will help prevent sexual violence: Creating
an ecological model of bystander intervention. Psychology of Violence,
1(3), 216-229. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0023739
o Berkowitz, A. D. (2003). Applications of social norms theory to other
health and social justice issues. The social norms approach to
preventing school and college age substance abuse: A handbook for
educators, counselors, and clinicians. (pp. 259-279) Jossey-Bass, San
Francisco, CA. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/620020280?accountid=13158
o Chen. L., Murad, M., Paras, M., Colbenson, K., Sattler, A., Goranson, E.,
Elamin, M., Seime, R., Shinozaki, G., Prokop, L., Zirakzadeh, A. (2010).
Sexual Abuse and Lifetime Diagnosis of Psychiatric Disorders:
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 85(7),
618-629. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4065/mcp.2009.0583
o Clark, R. D., & Word, L. E. (1974). Where is the apathetic bystander?
Situational characteristics of the emergency. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 29(3), 279-287.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0036000
o Foubert, J. D. (2000). The longitudinal effects of a rape-prevention
program on fraternity men's attitudes, behavioral intent, and behavior.
Journal of American College Health, 48(4), 158-163. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/619518272?accountid=13158
o Katz, J., & Moore, J. (2013). Bystander education training for campus
sexual assault prevention: An initial meta-analysis. Violence and
Victims, 28(6), 1054-1067. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/0886-
6708.VV-D-12-00113
o Statistics from Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. RAINN
(2009). https://w
ww.rain.org/statistics
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the Penn State Behrend Undergraduate Research
Grants program for making this project possible. We would also like to
thank Dr. Melanie Hetzel-Riggin and the Coping Stress and Trauma Lab for
their support and guidance with this project.
Introduction
o 1 in 3 women experience attempted or completed rape
o 1 in 33 men experience attempted or competed rape in their
lifetime (RAINN, 2009)
o Effects of Sexual Assault (Chen et al, 2010)
o Depression
o Anxiety
o Eating Disorders
o PTSD
o Sleep Disorders
o Attempted Suicides
o Bystander Intervention
o The Bystander Effect (Clark & Word, 1974)
o Bystander (Katz & Moore, 2013)
o Responsive- respond/intervene to a risk that
could result in harm
o This education approach aims to transform
bystanders into responsive bystanders in hopes of
encouraging all people to take responsibility to
prevent sexual assault (Katz & Moore, 2013)
o (Banyard, 2011; Berkowitz, 2003; Foubert, 2000)
o Personality
o Coping style
o Self-efficacy
o Knowledge of sexual assault
o Attitudes about intervening as a bystander
Procedure:
o Read/sign informed consent
o Read a depiction of an acquaintance rape from the
perspective of a bystander (25 scenes)
o After each scene, participants reported their
emotional responses, and what action they would
take (if any)
o 12 questionnaires including: Rape Myth Acceptance,
Confidence in Bystander Behavior, the MVP Efficacy
Scale, Demographic Questions, Decisional balance
scale, and others
o Verbal debriefing
Method
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
PercentofAffirmativeResponses
Scene Number
Leave
Tell Someone in Charge
Uncomfortableness
Ignore
ANOVAs Correlations
Uncomfortableness:
F (24,5232)= 17.758, p=.000
Leave Situation: Decisional Balance Scale and Leaving Situation:
F (24,5232)= 4.566, p=.000 r= .171, p= .000
Tell Someone in Charge: Leaving Situation and Uncomfortableness:
F (24, 5232)= 82.498, p=.000 r= .282, p=.000
Ignore Situation:
F (24, 5232)= 21.318, p=.000
Figure 1: Percent of Change in Uncomfortableness, Telling Someone in Charge, Ignoring, and Leaving Over Time