Empowering bystanders to prevent campus violence against women.

Sharyn J. Potter, University of New Hampshire
Mary M. Moynihan, University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
Jane G. Stapleton, University of New Hampshire
Victoria Banyard, University of New Hampshire

Abstract

Researchers at a midsized public northeastern university evaluated the efficacy of a poster campaign to determine if students increase their knowledge of prosocial bystander behaviors and willingness to intervene in instances of sexual violence after viewing a series of campaign posters where student actors model appropriate bystander behaviors. During the last week of the campaign, undergraduates were invited to participate in a Web survey. The results of this preliminary evaluation indicate promising variation in the awareness of students who reported seeing the campaign compared to those who did not.