Context Matters: Reactive and Proactive Bystander Action to Prevent Sexual and Dating Violence in High Schools |
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Authors: | Victoria Banyard Kimberly J Mitchell Emily A Waterman Andrew J Rizzo Katie M Edwards |
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Institution: | 1. School of Social Work, Rutgers University , New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA victoria.banyard@rutgers.eduhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9645-5055;3. Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire , Durham, New Hampshire, USA;4. Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools, University of Nebraska Lincoln , Lincoln, Nebraska, USA;5. Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire , Durham, New Hampshire, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8578-9562 |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT Given high rates of relationship violence among adolescents, there is a need to understand variables that influence adolescents’ helping behaviors to reduce risk for dating and sexual violence (reactive) and promote prevention before violence happens or risk factors are evident (proactive). The current paper examined individual and school variables related to greater actionism in a large sample of high school students. Baseline, cross-sectional data used in the current analyses were gathered before intervention as part of a prevention program evaluation across 25 high schools in New England from students in grades 9–12 (N= 3,404). Students who self-reported a greater number of proactive actions taken were students who identified as sexual minorities, had a history of victimization, and were in schools with supportive peer norms. The current findings suggest a model for prevention that might include training individuals and attending to school level variables. |
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Keywords: | Bystander sexual violence prevention social norms teen dating violence high school |
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