Bystander Intervention Month

Bystander Intervention Month

During the month of September, CBD College approaches Title IX with Bystander Intervention. Bystander intervention is an essential component in preventing sexual violence.  Additionally, YOU can encourage your peers to have conversations about effective intervention.  Address concerns, but also highlight the importance of bystanders in sexual violence prevention.

Individuals who witness a range of inappropriate behaviors may or may not take action.  Their involvement depends on encouragement and greater development from peers and also authority figures.

In regards to the bystander effect, the greater number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help.  Factors including ambiguity, cohesiveness, and diffusion of responsibility cause the bystander effect.  What would you do?

We all know what it feels like to miss an opportunity to help someone and what it feels like to safely say something or do something that has a positive impact on someone in our lives.    Bystander intervention is often times seen as a method of preventing sexual violence because it addresses harmful behaviors before they escalate.  By addressing harmful behavior consistently, we aspire to change societal norms.