Peer-led Bystander Intervention Training: Best Practices and Application

Sexual assault is a reality in college campuses and for college students. Amongst the pressures to succeed academically and find a job, students are also confronted with the possibility that they or someone they know is likely to experience sexual assault. One of the most commonly promoted strategies to reduce the occurrence of sexual assault is bystander intervention, and, as such, numerous bystander intervention training systems have been developed. For our research project, we asked the question, “What characteristics of bystander intervention training are most effective?” Our investigation included an examination of the characteristics of the training, the environment, the trainee, and the types of interventions. Specifically, we focused on the effect of a peer-led, leadership-based bystander intervention training on a small college campus in terms of increasing knowledge of resources, utilization of resources, and actual behavioral intervention.