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Background:
Violence against women and girls is a public health epidemic. Campus-based research has found bystander programmes show promise as effective primary prevention of sexual violence. However, evidence regarding domestic violence and abuse bystander prevention specifically, and in community settings generally, is still in development. Furt...
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Introduction
Africa has high rates of interpersonal violence and rape, although little is known about how these cases are handled in the clinical setting.
Methods
We enrolled 121 health care professionals and students in Tanzania from the fields of midwifery, nursing and medicine, and conducted 18 focus group discussions stratified by both profess...
Citations
... Importantly, however, access to such programs tends to be limited to students within educational institutions (Bovill & White, 2022;Edwards et al., 2019;Fenton & Mott, 2018;Storer et al., 2016). Although program offerings within the broader community have increased in recent years (Burnham et al., 2022;Gainsbury et al., 2020;Fenton et al., 2019;Rizzo et al., 2022), most members of the general public will not have access to such training, and must rely on information they can access themselves. It is therefore critical that we move beyond analyses of formal bystander training programs and develop a clear understanding of what easily-accessible information governments and prominent community organizations are providing for community members regarding bystander intervention in domestic violence. ...
... Second, we found that while the government policies predominantly focused on bystander intervention as a form of primary prevention, the community resources predominantly focused on bystander intervention as secondary and tertiary prevention. While there is mounting evidence that bystander training programs are an effective form of primary prevention due to their successes at improving participants' knowledge and understanding of domestic violence, dispelling domestic violence myths, promoting more positive attitudes and behaviors, and discouraging perpetration (Coker et al., 2015(Coker et al., , 2019Edwards et al., 2019;Fenton & Mott, 2018;Gainsbury et al., 2020), there is a dearth of evidence surrounding whether actual bystander intervention and control (Shine, 2023;Welsh Women's Aid, 2021;Woman's Trust, 2024). ...
Purpose
Over recent years, expectations for bystanders to intervene to interrupt or prevent domestic violence have increased. However, the extent of these expectations and the ways in which bystanders are supported to uphold these expectations remain ambiguous. Drawing on a scoping review methodology, this study aims to map the bystander expectations and advice contained in government policies and community resources across eight countries.
Methods
We conducted a grey-literature search to identify the three most recent and relevant policy documents from each country, as well as the three most easily-accessible online community resources. We charted key information from each policy and resource, including type of violence and level of prevention; responsibility to intervene and effectiveness of bystander intervention; recognition of danger; and recommended bystander actions.
Results
The results indicate that the government policies and community resources included in the review held high expectations for bystanders to intervene in domestic violence. However, the information provided on how to safely and effectively intervene was inconsistent in its recognition of the risk posed to bystanders, and often offered contradictory advice.
Conclusions
An examination of our findings within the context of existing evidence suggests that there are severe limitations to the messages and information presented by the policies and resources. As a matter of urgency, more empirical research is needed to inform the government policies and community resources that encourage bystanders to intervene in domestic violence.
... Both men and women express some degree of agreement with stereotypes about rape, but females accept rape myths to a lesser extent than males do. Research consistently identifies gender as a predictive factor for the acceptance of rape myths, with males exhibiting increased acceptance compared (Bhogal & Corbett, 2016;Diehl et al., 2014;Fávero et al., 2022;Fenton & Jones, 2017;Gainsbury et al., 2020;Murphy & Hine, 2018;Olszewska et al., 2023). ...
Rape myths are social constructs, deeply rooted in European society. They play a role in maintaining false beliefs about sexual violence and are one of the main factors in sexual abuse behavior. In this review article, the authors focused on the factors influencing the perpetuation and spread of false beliefs regarding sexual violence, its victims, and perpetrators. The goal of the study is to achieve a more profound comprehension of the cultural and social dimensions linked to this occurrence. In conducting the systematic literature review, three databases have been used to search for pertinent articles: ProQuest, Scopus, and ERIH Plus. Only peer-reviewed scientific articles in English published between 2013 and 2023 were deemed eligible. Furthermore, inclusion criteria stipulated that articles must present empirical research of European origin, focusing on the keywords: “myths about rape,” “myths about sexual violence,” and “myths about rape.” In total 2,507 articles were initially identified, with 79 ultimately meeting the inclusion criteria. The analysis revealed the presence of several factors influencing the function of rape myths. These were categorized into sociodemographic, individual, and systemic. The general populace of European society commonly holds beliefs in rape myths. Moreover, numerous studies point to large legal and systemic inequalities that lead to social inequalities and, consequently, to the perpetuation of rape culture through victimization and victim blaming. This review demonstrates the need for future research on sex education as a factor in preventing rape myths.
... As for the role of internal affairs authorities in the prevention of domestic violence, the work of the authors A.N. Gainsbury et al. is very interesting. It indicates that this law enforcement system is responsible for investigating and prosecuting cases of domestic violence, as well as for providing support and protection to victims (Gainsbury et al. 2020). To effectively respond to such offenses, they are required to cooperate with other organizations and institutions, such as social services, health care providers, and advocacy groups, to provide a range of services and support to victims of domestic violence. ...
The relevance of this topic is due to the increase in the level of crime in Kazakhstan, as well as in foreign countries amid the global crisis, inflation, and other aspects that affect the criminal behavior of citizens. The purpose of the work within this topic is to study the main aspects underlying the legal activities of entities authorized to apply measures to prevent and combat offences. These are the main methods used in this article: comparative method, statistical method, and method of systematization. The identification of the main regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan (RK) are the results of the work, which regulates the activities of internal affairs authorities in the relevant area; it has clarified the issue of problems that arise when performing the functions for prevention of offences among minors, as well as violations of legislation in the transport sector, and others. The most effective types and methods of preventing and deterring offences have been investigated. In addition, in the course of conducting research, it was analyzed foreign experience in the prevention and deterrence of several types of criminals, administrative, and other offences and the main achievements in the relevant field.
... The increasingly promising evidence base is situated predominantly in school and college settings in the United States (Kettrey & Marx, 2019;Kovalenko et al., 2022;Mujal et al., 2021). In the United Kingdom, the evidence base is in its infancy, but there is some preliminary evidence in school and university settings (Bovill & White, 2022;Fenton & Mott, 2018;Williams & Neville, 2017) and, more recently, in a general population setting (Gainsbury et al., 2020). Overall, the literature reports improvements across a range of associated measures (for reviews see Kettrey & Marx, 2019;Kovalenko et al., 2022;Mujal et al., 2021). ...
... A subset of items from Perceptions of Peer Helping scale (Banyard et al., 2014) and BAS-R (McMahon et al., 2014) was used. We replaced "friends" with "friends, relatives and colleagues of the same gender," consistent with Gainsbury et al. (2020). Participants rated the likelihood of their peers to perform five certain helping behaviors on a 5-point Likert-type scale. ...
In recent years, social campaigns and high-profile cases have brought increased attention to violence against women. Athletes can be role models, shaping both prosocial and antisocial attitudes. Their engagement in violence prevention could be an effective tool to tackle violence against women through bystander intervention. This part of a mixed-method feasibility study reports on the quantitative evaluation of an evidence-led bystander program, Football Onside, implemented at a football club in South West England in June 2018 to February 2020. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with intervention and control groups. Football coaches and club members (n = 50) completed measures of rape and domestic abuse myths, bystander intent and efficacy, self-reported bystander behaviors, readiness for change, perceptions of peer helping and myth acceptance, law knowledge, and program evaluation. Fidelity was also assessed. The analysis compared between- and within-group differences in mean changes over time using mixed-effects models. Participant ratings of learning outcomes were high, and fidelity was maintained throughout the intervention. Between-group comparison revealed mixed results, with greater improvements in the intervention group for bystander intent and efficacy at post-test and follow-up, domestic abuse myths at post-test, and rape myth acceptance at follow-up. Model contrasts for within intervention group revealed improvements in rape and domestic abuse myth acceptance, bystander intent and efficacy, perceived law knowledge at both time points, and perceived peer myths and helping at post-test. At follow-up, intervention participants reported significantly higher engagement in bystander behaviors. No significant effects were found for perceived importance of legal knowledge. Our research highlights the potential efficacy of a bystander program tailored for football club members. Cluster-randomized control trials are now required to examine bystander attitudes and behavior change processes among professional athletes.
... Bystander training might be utilised to improve informal community-based responses to DVA, and there is preliminary evidence of effectiveness of bystander training in a UK context (Gainsbury et al, 2020). The potential of bystander community training programmes depends on furthering our understanding of bystander experiences in DVA. ...
This article seeks to understand the experiences of bystanders to domestic violence and abuse (DVA) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales. Globally, professionals voiced concern over the COVID-19 restrictions exacerbating conditions for DVA to occur. Yet evidence suggests this also increased opportunities for bystanders to become aware of DVA and take action against it. This mixed methods study consists of a quantitative online survey and follow-up interviews with survey respondents. Conducted in Wales, UK, during a national lockdown in 2021, this article reports on the experiences of 186 bystanders to DVA during the pandemic.
Results suggest that bystanders had increased opportunity to become aware of DVA due to the pandemic restrictions. Results support the bystander situational model whereby respondents have to become aware of the behaviour, recognise it as a problem, feel that they possess the correct skills, and have confidence in their skills, before they will take action. Having received bystander training was a significant predictor variable in bystanders taking action against DVA; this is an important finding that should be utilised to upskill general members of the community.
... Seven primary studies evaluated interventions including the "Red Flag Campaign" (Borsky et al., 2018;Carlyle et al., 2020), "Green Dot" (Coker et al., 2019), "Bringing in the Bystander" FIGURE 1 PRISMA diagram and "The Intervention Initiative" (Fenton & Mott, 2019). While studies were predominantly undertaken in university settings, one study indicates that the bystander approach ("Active Bystander Communities") can be transferred from student population to general communities and from sexual violence to DVA in the United Kingdom (Gainsbury et al., 2020). ...
This review identifies effective practice for the prevention of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV). The review is underpinned by public health principles which provide a useful framework to understand the causes and consequences of violence as well as prevention. This systematic evidence assessment had two stages: a database search identified reviews of interventions designed to prevent VAWDASV, published since 2014; a supplementary search identified primary studies published since 2018. Reviews (n=35) and primary studies (n=16) focus on a range of types of violence and interventions. At the individual and relationship level, interventions work to transform harmful gender norms, promote healthy relationships, and promote empowerment. In the community, effective interventions were identified in schools, the workplace, and health settings. Finally, at the societal level, interventions relate to legislation and alcohol policy. The findings reveal a wealth of literature relating to the prevention of VAWDASV. However, gaps in research were identified in relation to the prevention of trafficking, violence against women, domestic abuse, sexual violence among older age groups, and so-called honour-based abuse other than female genital mutilation. Also, while many interventions focus on change at the individual and relationship level and within community settings, there is less evidence for societal-level prevention. The prevention of VAWDASV is both feasible and effective and there is an imperative to invest both in prevention programming and high-quality research to continue to guide efforts to prevent VAWDASV.
... Self-efficacy as a bystander has been identified as an important factor in promoting behavioural intention to help a survivor of IPV, and many IPV awareness programs have targeted increasing bystander self-efficacy. For example, Gainsbury, Fenton & Jones (2020) found that bystander program participation increased self-efficacy of participants, which improved behavioural intent to help. In addition, participants had more favourable views that their peers would be more effective helpers, thereby, increasing the participants' normative helping perceptions. ...
... In their study of low-income community members in Uganda, Abramsky et al. (2018) found that willingness to help survivors was associated with clear attitudes that condemn IPV. Gainsbury, Fenton & Jones (2020) considered the construct of IPV attitudes and explored IPV myths as a means of understanding IPV related attitudes. The identified myths used primarily related to the minimisation of the frequency of violence (e.g., ''domestic violence does not affect many people'') and responsibility of the violence (e.g., ''making a man jealous is asking for it''). ...
... Bystander theory applies a five-step situational model of bystander behaviour for the decision-making process of individuals to act as a bystander. The steps include noticing the event, interpreting it as an emergency, taking responsibility for acting, deciding how to act, and, finally, choosing to act (Abramsky et al., 2018;Amar, Sutherland & Kesler, 2012;Amar, Sutherland & Laughon, 2014;Banyard, 2008;Banyard & Moynihan, 2011: Bovill & White, 2020Cascardi et al., 2018;Chabot et al., 2009;Fenton & Mott, 2018;Gainsbury, Fenton & Jones, 2020;Moynihan et al., 2011;Weitzman, Cowan & Walsh, 2020;Woods et al., 2020). ...
Background. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue that consists of physical, sexual, and psychological violence perpetrated by a current or formerpartner. Informal supporters (e.g., family and friends) of survivors are more often witness to IPV or are the first people a survivor will disclose abuse to and are more able to provide consistent ongoing support than professional services. Therefore, greater understanding of informal supporters is warranted to aid in reducing the risks experienced by survivors. This systematic review aimed to: (1) identify factors associated with either an increase or decrease in helping behaviour toward a survivor, (2), identify the most effective self-care strategies employed by informal supporters, and (3) consider the current theoretical approaches used to understand informal supporters help-giving behavioural intention.
Methods. A systematic literature search was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. The search included English language articles published between 2005 and 2021 in the databases Psych Articles, Scopus, Proquest Social Services Abstracts, and Ebscohost. Studies were included if the primary research aims explored the motivators andinhibitors of helping intention or self-care strategies of adult social network membersof adult IPV survivors. Two reviewers independently screened all identified articles for inclusion suitability.
Results. One hundred and twenty articles were subjected to full text screening result-ing in 31 articles being identified as meeting inclusion criteria. Synthesis of the findings identified the following three key areas associated with help-giving behavioural intentions: normative factors, individual factors, and situational factors. There were no articles identified that considered self-care of informal supporters. Of the 31 articles, 22 had a theoretical underpinning. None of the utilised theories explained all three of the identified factors of help-giving behavioural intention.
Conclusion. These results are integrated into a proposed Intimate Partner Violence Model of Informal Supporter Readiness (IPV-MISR), incorporating the identified factors associated with help-giving behavioural intention. This model provides a framework for conceptualising the readiness of an informal supporter to provide adequatesupport to IPV survivors. The model extends existing theoretical standpoints and hasutility in both practice and research.
... Developments in recent years regarding bystander approaches have focused on changing 'gender inequitable attitudes, beliefs and cultural norms which support abuse, and ultimately increasing pro-social bystander behaviour to prevent it ' Gainsbury et al (2020). Jackson Katz, for example, has developed a bystander approach centred on 'counteract[ing] a specific characteristic of male peer culture…the reluctance of men to interrupt each other's sexist behaviours or challenge their sexist beliefs' (Katz et al. 2011: 690). ...
... Bystander approaches also seek to challenge and engage with the victim-perpetrator relationship. Programmes that adopt a bystander approach recognise that VAWG can be prevented and responded to (Gainsbury et al. 2020 The bystander effect refers to a range of psychological phenomena that prevent bystanders who witness harmful or dangerous situations from intervening, even in situations where intervention seems both necessary and possible. Latané and Darley (1970) suggest that the more witnesses there are, the less likely each one of them is to intervene in a problematic situation. ...
... The Evidence Briefing (College of Policing 2022) details one evaluation of a bystander programme for the prevention of domestic violence and abuse that was effective at a community level (Gainsbury et al. 2020). The study took place in 2019 in three local authority areas in the southwest of England. ...
This report contributes to the Commonwealth study on online violence against women and girls (OVAWG) and considers the prevalence of online violence and the role of bystanders as well as therelevant laws, institutions, policies and practices to address the problem in the European region of the Commonwealth, namely Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland (UK). The report highlights the complex nature of OVAWG and the difficulties associated with differences in terminology resulting in inconsistent data collection and varied legal responses across the European region of the Commonwealth. It also details the role of bystanders and their criminal or civil liability that, it argues, are relatively new considerations in the OVAWG space. An understanding of the nature and presentation ofOVAWG is required by bystanders, including the impact on victims to drive action.
... Embedded in social norms theory, through engaging in and witnessing other's positive bystander intervention, the acceptability of sexual violence is anticipated to reduce and bystander intervention to increase. Despite strong evidence for bystander programmes in education settings, most evidence stems from the USA, and few studies have explored the impacts of bystander programmes delivered in the wider community, including nightlife settings (Fileborn 2017;Gainsbury et al. 2020;Quigg et al. 2020). ...
Aim
Sexual violence is global public health, human rights and gender equality issue. Sexual violence bystander programmes for nightlife workers are emerging across a few countries and further examination of such programmes is required. This exploratory study evaluates the potential effectiveness of the Good Night Out Campaign, a sexual violence bystander programme for nightlife workers.
Subject and methods
Two hundred and seven trainees attending the 1.5 hour training programme across two cities in England were recruited opportunistically, immediately prior to training delivery. Sexual violence myth acceptance and readiness and confidence to intervene in sexual violence were measured at baseline and post-intervention. Analyses used paired-sample tests to examine differences in the three measurements pre to post-training and effect sizes were quantified using Cohen’s d.
Results
Compared to pre-training, post-training participants were significantly (p < 0.001) less likely to agree with sexual violence myths, and more likely to be confident and ready to intervene in sexual violence or incidents of vulnerability. Effect sizes were small–medium.
Conclusions
The study adds to emergent evidence suggesting that sexual violence bystander programmes may be promising in decreasing sexual violence myths and barriers to bystander intervention, and increasing willingness to intervene amongst nightlife workers. Findings can support the emergence of sexual violence prevention activities implemented in nightlife spaces. Further programme implementation and evaluation using experimental designs is needed to explore outcomes in greater depth, considering the complexity of the nightlife environment.
... The authors also note that although key themes and therapeutic interventions focus on the bio-psycho-social-spiritual aspects of care, consideration of the impacts of sexual trauma are markedly absent. Deps et al. (2021) reveal that 37% of women and 4% of men seeking asylum, together with one in five women in the U.K., have experienced sexual violence, which is now deemed to be a public health crisis of epidemic proportions (Gainsbury et al., 2020). We therefore advocate on behalf of a bio-psycho-social-sexual-spiritual approach to care, and for culturally sensitive treatment of these individuals. ...
Introduction: Individuals seeking refuge and asylum commonly present to health care practitioners with embodiment of mental distress resulting from the traumatic nature of their migration experiences. The number of displaced individuals has doubled over the past decade due to the impacts of war, religious and political conflict, climate change, and COVID-19. Studies point towards the need for a comprehensive scoping review to fully explicate the concept of embodied trauma, bridging the gap between phenomenological lived experience and the many treatments available. Objectives: To inform psychotherapy guidelines by identifying the evidence for embodied trauma, clarifying key terms, examining how research is conducted, and identifying gaps in the knowledge. Method: A five-stage scoping review protocol was operationalized to explore and analyze the existing literature and associated terminology by (a) identifying the research question, (b) identifying the relevant literature, (c) selecting the studies, (d) charting the data, and (e) collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. Results: Highlight the need for a clear definition of terms, the development of a culturally informed assessment and formulation for individuals experiencing embodied trauma, and reveal a gap in the research for the best treatment approach(es). Conclusion: Proposal of a clear definition of embodied trauma and key themes for future research including culturally informed care, psychosocial support, language considerations, relational belonging, and inclusion of sexual, spiritual, and existential factors, moving away from purely Westernized diagnoses and treatments towards culturally informed care.
