Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Bystander Action in Situations of Dating and Sexual Aggression: A Mixed Methodological Study of High School Youth

  • Empirical Research
  • Published:
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bystander action is a critical component of dating and sexual aggression prevention; however, little is known about barriers and facilitators of bystander action among high school youth and in what situations youth are willing to engage in bystander action. The current study examined bystander action in situations of dating and sexual aggression using a mixed methodological design. Participants included primarily Caucasian (83.0 %, n = 181) male (54.6 %, n = 119) and female (44.5 %, n = 97) high school youth (N = 218). Most (93.6 %) students had the opportunity to take action during the past year in situations of dating or sexual aggression; being female and histories of dating and sexual aggression related to bystander action. Thematic analysis of the focus group data identified barriers (e.g., the aggression not meeting a certain threshold, anticipated negative consequences) to bystander action, as well as insight on promising forms of action (e.g., verbally telling the perpetrator to stop, getting a teacher); problematic intervention methods (e.g., threatening or using physical violence to stop the perpetrator) were also noted. Implications for programming are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. At one of our participating schools, the vast majority of participants were White and our institutional review board urged us not to ask the racial identification question since this could make the data identifiable as opposed to anonymous. We thus used published data from the state’s department of education to represent the racial identification of the school where we could not collect this data directly from participants, and this data is included in the overall sample estimate above. Because we cannot connect the specific racial identification of each participant to their other data at this one school, we did not use racial identification in the inferential analyses as a correlate of dating and sexual aggression bystander action.

References

  • Banyard, V. L. (2008). Measurement and correlates of pro-social bystander behavior: The case of interpersonal violence. Violence and Victims, 23, 85–99. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.23.1.83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banyard, V. L. (2011). Who will help prevent sexual violence: Creating an ecological model of bystander intervention. Psychology of Violence, 1, 216–229. doi:10.1037/a0023739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banyard, V. L. (2013). Go big or go home: Reaching for a more integrated view of violence prevention. Psychology of Violence, 3, 115–120. doi:10.1037/a0032289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banyard, V. L., & Moynihan, M. M. (2011). Variation in bystander behavior related to sexual and intimate partner violence prevention: Correlates in a sample of college students. Psychology of Violence, 1, 287–301. doi:10.1037/a0023544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basile, K. C., Hamburger, M. E., Swahn, M. H., & Choi, C. (2013). Sexual violence perpetration by adolescents in dating versus same-sex peer relationships: Differences in associated risk and protective factors. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 14, 329–340. doi:10.5811/westjem.2013.3.15684.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, S., & Banyard, V. L. (2014). Do friends really help friends? The effect of relational factors and perceived severity on bystander perception of sexual violence. Psychology of Violence. doi:10.1037/a0037708.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, S., Banyard, V. L., & Garnhart, L. (2014). To act or not to act, that is the question? Barriers and facilitators of bystander intervention. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29, 476–496. doi:10.1177/0886260513505210.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S. G., Walters, M. L., Merrick, M. T., et al. (2011). The national intimate partner and sexual violence survey (NISVS): 2010 summary report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A. L., Banyard, V. L., & Moynihan, M. M. (2014). College students as helpful bystanders against sexual violence: Gender, race, and year in college moderate the impact of perceived peer norms. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 38, 350–362. doi:10.1177/0361684314526855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burn, S. M. (2009). A situational model of sexual assault prevention through bystander intervention. Sex Roles, 60(11–12), 779–792. doi:10.1007/s11199-008-9581-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bystander Measure Meeting. (2014). University of New Hampshire’s International Family Violence and Child Victimization Research Conference, Durham NH.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Youth risk behavior survey. www.cdc.gov/yrbs.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Teen dating violence. http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/teen_dating_violence.html.

  • Coker, A. L., Davis, K. E., Arias, I., Desai, S., Sanderson, M., Brandt, H. M., & Smith, P. H. (2002). Physical and mental health effects of intimate partner violence for men and women. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 23, 260–268. doi:10.1016/S0749-37970200514-7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dardis, C. M., Dixon, K. J., Edwards, K. M., & Turchik, J. A. (2014). An examination of the factors related to dating violence perpetration among young men and young women and associated theoretical explanations: A review of the literature. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse. doi:10.1177/1524838013517559.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Bruijn, P., Burrie, I., & van Wel, F. (2006). A risky boundary: Unwanted sexual behaviour among youth. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 12, 81–96. doi:10.1080/13552600600841631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckstein, R. P., Moynihan, M.M., Banyard, V. L., & Plante, E. (2013) Bringing in the bystander: Facilitator’s guide. http://cola.unh.edu/prevention-innovations/bringing-bystander.

  • Edwards, K. M., Mattingly, M. J., Dixon, K. J., & Banyard, V. L. (2014). Community matters: Intimate partner violence among rural young adults. American Journal of Community Psychology, 53, 198–207. doi:10.1007/s10464-014-9633-7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, K. M., Murphy, M. J., Tansill, E. C., Myrick, C. A., Probst, D. R., Corsa, R., & Gidycz, C. A. (2012). A qualitative analysis of college women’s leaving processes in abusive relationships. Journal of American College Health, 60, 204–210. doi:10.1080/07448481.2011.586387.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, K. M., Rodenhizer-Stämpfli, K., & Eckstein, R. P. (2015). Dating and sexual violence bystander intervention: A mixed methodological study of high school teachers. Manuscript submitted for publication.

  • Espeleage, D. L., Low, S. K., Anderson, C., & De La Ru, L. (2014). Bullying, dating and sexual aggression trajectories from early to late adolescence. National Institute of Justice report. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/246830.pdf.

  • Ferrans, S. D., Selman, R. L., & Feigenberg, L. F. (2012). Rules of the culture and personal needs: Witnesses’ decision-making processes to deal with situations of bullying in middle school. Harvard Educational Review, 82, 445–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foshee, V. A., Bauman, K. E., Arriaga, X. B., Helms, R. W., Koch, G. G., & Linder, G. (1998). An evaluation of Safe Dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program. American Journal of Public Health, 88, 45–50.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foshee, V. A., Bauman, K. E., Ennett, S. T., Suchindran, C., Benefield, T., & Linder, G. F. (2005). Assessing the effects of the dating violence prevention program ‘Safe Dates’ using random coefficient regression modeling. Prevention Science, 6, 245–258. doi:10.1007/s11121-005-0007-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foshee, V., Benefield, T., Ennett, S., Bauman, K., & Suchindran, C. (2004). Longitudinal predictors of serious physical and sexual dating violence victimization during adolescence. Preventive Medicine, 39, 1007–1016. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.04.014.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foshee, V. A., & Langwick, S. (2010). Safe dates (2nd ed.). Center City, MN: Hazelden.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frye, V. (2007). The informal social control of intimate partner violence against women: Exploring personal attitudes and perceived neighborhood social cohesion. Journal of Community Psychology, 35, 1001–1018. doi:10.1002/jcop.20209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frye, V., Galea, S., Tracy, M., Bucciarelli, A., Putnam, S., & Wilt, S. (2008). The role of neighborhood environment and risk of intimate partner femicide in a large urban area. American Journal of Public Health, 98, 1473–1479. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.112813.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Furman, W., & Wehner, E. A. (1997). Adolescent romantic relationships: A developmental perspective. In S. Shulman & W. A. Collins (Eds.), Romantic relationships in adolescence: Developmental perspectives (pp. 21–36). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamby, S., Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., & Ormrod, R. (2011). Children’s exposure to intimate partner violence and other family violence (NCJ232272). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.

  • Hamby, S., & Grych, J. (2013). The web of violence: Exploring connections among different forms of interpersonal violence and abuse. New York, NY: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe, P. G., Sudermann, M., Reitzel, D., & Killip, S. M. (1992). An evaluation of a secondary school primary prevention program on violence in intimate relationships. Violence and Victims, 7, 129–146.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koelsch, L. E., Brown, A. L., & Boisen, L. (2012). Bystander perceptions: Implications for University Sexual Assault Prevention Programs. Violence and Victims, 27, 563–579. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.27.4.563.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lanza, S. T., & Collins, L. M. (2008). A new SAS procedure for latent transition analysis: Transitions in dating and sexual risk behavior. Developmental Psychology, 44, 446–456. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.44.2.446.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Latane, B., & Darley, J. M. (1970). The unresponsive bystander: Why doesn’t he help? New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Latane, B., & Rodin, J. (1969). A lady in distress: Inhibiting effects of friends and strangers on bystander intervention. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 5(2), 189–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manganello, J. A. (2008). Teens, dating violence, and media use: A review of the literature and conceptual model for future research. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 9(1), 3–18. doi:10.1177/1524838007309804.

  • Markiewicz, D., Lawford, H., Doyle, A., & Haggart, N. (2006). Developmental differences in adolescents’ and young adults’ use of mothers, fathers, best friends, and romantic partners to fulfill attachment needs. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35, 127–140. doi:10.1007/s10964-005-9014-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marwick, A., & Boyd, D. (2014). ‘It's just drama’: Teen perspectives on conflict and aggression in a networked era. Journal of Youth Studies, 17, 1187–204. doi:10.1080/13676261.2014.901493.

  • McCauley, H. L., Tancredi, D. J., Silverman, J. G., Decker, M. R., Austin, S. B., McCormick, M. C., et al. (2013). Gender-equitable attitudes, bystander behavior, and recent abuse perpetration against heterosexual dating partners of male high school athletes. American Journal of Public Health, 103, 1882–1887. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301443.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McMahon, S. (2010). Rape myth beliefs and bystander attitudes among incoming college students. Journal of American College Health, 59, 3–11. doi:10.1080/07448481.2010.483715.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McMahon, S., & Farmer, G. L. (2011). An updated measure for assessing subtle rape myths. Social Work Research, 35, 71–81. doi:10.1093/swr/35.2.71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noonan, R., & Charles, D. (2009). Developing teen dating violence prevention strategies: Formative research with middle school youth. Violence Against Women, 15, 1087–1105. doi:10.1177/1077801209340761.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Norona, J. C., Thorne, A., Kerrick, M. R., Farwood, H. B., & Korobov, N. (2013). Patterns of intimacy and distancing as young women (and men) friends exchange stories of romantic relationships. Sex Roles, 68, 439–453. doi:10.1007/s11199-013-0262-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pozzoli, T., & Gini, G. (2010a). Active defending and passive bystanding behavior in bullying: The role of personal characteristics and perceived peer pressure. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 38, 815–827. doi:10.1007/s10802-010-9399-9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pozzoli, T., & Gini, G. (2010b). Why do bystanders of bullying help or not? Journal of Early Adolescence, 33, 315–340. doi:10.1177/0272431612440172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pozzoli, T., Gini, G., & Vieno, A. (2012). The role of individual correlates and class norms in defending and passive bystanding behavior in bullying: A multilevel analysis. Child Development, 83, 1917–1931. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01831.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reyes, H. M., & Foshee, V. A. (2013). Sexual dating aggression across grades 8 through 12: Timing and predictors of onset. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42, 581–595. doi:10.1007/s10964-012-9864-6.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Salmivalli, C., Lagerspetz, K., Björkqvist, K., Österman, K., & Kaukialnen, A. (1996). Bullying as a group process: Participant roles and their relations to social status within the group. Aggressive Behavior, 22, 1–15.

  • Taylor, Bruce G., Stein, Nan D., Mumford, Elizabeth A., & Woods, Daniel. (2013). Shifting boundaries: An experimental evaluation of a dating violence prevention program in middle schools. Prevention Science, 14, 64–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, K. A., Sullivan, T. N., & Farrell, A. D. (2015). Longitudinal relationships between individual and class norms supporting dating violence and perpetration of dating violence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 44, 745–760. doi:10.1007/s10964-014-0195-7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2001). Full report of the prevalence, incidence, and consequences of violence against women: Findings from the national violence against women survey. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vagi, K. J., Rothman, E. F., Latzman, N. E., Tharp, A. T., Hall, D. M., & Breiding, M. J. (2013). Beyond correlates: A review of risk and protective factors for adolescent dating violence perpetration. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42, 633–649. doi:10.1007/s10964-013-9907-7.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Camp, T., Hébert, M., Guidi, E., Lavoie, F., & Blais, M. (2014). Teens’ self-efficacy to deal with dating violence as victim, perpetrator or bystander. International Review of Victimology,. doi:10.1177/0269758014521741.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisz, A. N., & Black, B. M. (2008). Peer intervention in dating violence: Beliefs of African-American middle school adolescents. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 17, 177–196. doi:10.1080/15313200801947223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolitzky-Taylor, K. B., Ruggiero, K. J., Danielson, C. K., Resnick, H. S., Hanson, R. F., Smith, D. W., et al. (2008). Prevalence and correlates of dating violence in a national sample of adolescents. Journal of The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 755–762. doi:10.1097/CHI.0b013e318172ef5f.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Sharyn Potter and Jane Stapleton for their feedback on the methodology of the study and Annie Crossman, Kayleigh Greaney, Amber Carlson, Joel Wyatt, and Kristin Lindemann for their assistance with data collection. We would also like to thank Eleanor MacKenzie, Saad Chowdry, Karen Brunetti, Chloe Flanagan, Kelly Palmer, Ashley MacPherson, Josh Dolman, and Nicholas Grafton who helped us with data entry and transcriptions. We would also like to thank Murray Straus, David Finkelhor, Lisa Jones, Heather Turner, Zeev Winstock, and Lars Alberth for their review and feedback on the article. Funding for this project provided collectively by the University of New Hampshire’s Prevention Innovations, Carsey Institute, and the College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Office.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interests.

Author contributions

KE conceptualized and developed the methodology for the study, participated in the collection of data, conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses, and drafted most sections of the manuscript. KR participated in the collection of data, managed data entry and transcription procedures, conducted qualitative analyses, and drafted some portions of the manuscript in addition to reading and editing multiple drafts of the manuscript. RE conceptualized and developed the methodology for the study, participated in the collection of data, provided feedback on the qualitative data analyses, and read and edited multiple drafts of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Psychology and Women’s Studies, Prevention Innovations Research Center and Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA

    Katie M. Edwards

  2. Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA

    Kara Anne Rodenhizer-Stämpfli

  3. Departments of Psychology and Justice Studies, Prevention Innovations Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA

    Robert P. Eckstein

Authors
  1. Katie M. Edwards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kara Anne Rodenhizer-Stämpfli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Robert P. Eckstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katie M. Edwards.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Edwards, K.M., Rodenhizer-Stämpfli, K.A. & Eckstein, R.P. Bystander Action in Situations of Dating and Sexual Aggression: A Mixed Methodological Study of High School Youth. J Youth Adolescence 44, 2321–2336 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0307-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0307-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation