Women's Health Commons^™

A Qualitative Analysis Of Men’S Intended Bystander Behaviors In Response To A Sexual Assault Vignette, Evelyn Day

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem; there are myriad negative consequences associated with sexual assault victimization. Given the commonality and consequences associated with victimization, preventing sexual assault is paramount. One mechanism thought to reduce rates of sexual assault is bystander intervention, in which third parties are encouraged to intervene when witnessing sexual assault risk factors and to challenge cultural norms regarding rape and assault. Despite the benefits of bystanding, not everyone intervenes. Previous research indicates that compared with women, men are less likely to intervene. Although some men intervene, researchers’ understanding of how men bystand is limited. The goal of …