U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Effects of a Rape Awareness Program on College Women: Increasing Bystander Efficacy and Willingness to Intervene

NCJ Number
253632
Journal
Journal of Community Psychology Volume: 38 Issue: 7 Dated: 2010 Pages: 813-827
Date Published
2010
Length
25 pages
Annotation

This study evaluated the efficacy of a sexual assault risk-reduction program on 279 college women who were instructed in the characteristics of male perpetrators of sexual assault and bystander intervention techniques.

Abstract

After seeing The Women's Program, participants reported significantly greater bystander efficacy and significantly greater willingness to help than before seeing the program. Participants outperformed a control group. Rape myth acceptance also declined among program participants. Implications for rape awareness programming are discussed. (publisher abstract modified)

Date Published: January 1, 2010