Does a history with sexual assault impact bystander intervention engagement?

Abstract

Bystander intervention is a method of sexual violence prevention aimed at reducing the serious and pervasive issue of sexual assault on college campuses. The current study utilises the reasoned action approach (RAA) to examine potential differences in bystander intervention engagement between college students with exposure or experience related to sexual assault to students with no such history. Students (n=290) from two mid-sized universities completed a survey examining the RAA constructs (instrumental and experiential attitudes, injunctive and descriptive norms, capacity and autonomy), their sexual assault knowledge, and anticipated regret in reference to bystander intervention. Results showed that participants with exposure or experience related to sexual assault had significantly higher behavioural intentions (p=.018; d=.31), instrumental attitudes (p<.001; d=.55), injunctive norms (p=.026; d=.29), capacity (p=.002; d=.40), autonomy (p=.022; d=.28), anticipated regret (p<.001; d=.56), and sexual assault knowledge (p=.018; d=.31). The RAA constructs also explained a significant amount of the variance of intentions for both groups (with exposure/experience adjust R2 =.501; without exposure/experience adjust R2 =.660). The RAA constructs and anticipated regret appear to be important predictors to consider when planning bystander intervention programmes aimed at reducing sexual assault on college campuses.