Understanding Self-Reported Sexual Violence Perpetration: Correlates and Prevention Participation

Bystander prevention programs seek to educate individuals on the nature of sexual violence and increase bystander efficacy. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the Bringing in the Bystander (BITB) prevention program through self-reports of perpetration behaviors as well as risk factors associated with perpetration. The bystander prevention program was implemented on a rural mid-sized public university and first-year students were surveyed three times at separate time points (2 weeks, 5 months, and 12 months) after the program conclusion. Results from a correlational and logistic regression analysis show that endorsement of violent peer norms, rape myth acceptance, and rape proclivity of self were all significant correlates of perpetration. The results also indicated that endorsement of coercive peer norms was a predictor of recent perpetration. There were no significant differences in self-reported recent perpetration between the control and treatment group. However, recent perpetration rates did decrease for the treatment group, which means BITB is on the right track to ending sexual violence on college campuses