Helping a Friend: the Impact of Victim Alcohol Intoxication and Perpetrator Social Status on Bystander Behaviors and Responses to Assault Disclosure.

Objective: Although data evaluating bystander interventions are promising (e.g., Banyard et al., 2007), little is known about factors that may interfere with friends taking action to prevent assault or to support victims upon assault disclosure. The present study examines the effects of victim alcohol intoxication and perpetrator social status (represented as a collegiate athlete) as potential barriers to effective bystander intervention and supportive responses to disclosure. Method: Using an experimental vignette design, participant responses were assessed in response to a situation involving imminent sexual risk to a friend (T1) and in response to the friend's disclosure of sexual assault (T2). Victim alcohol intoxication and perpetrator status were hypothesized to relate to bystander responses during the sexual risk scenario, which in turn were predicted to impact disclosure responses after the victim's assault. Results: Victim intoxication-though not perpetrator status-predicted friends' likelihood to intervene at T1 such that those in the high intoxication condition were more likely to intervene than were those in the low and no intoxication conditions. Further, friends' likelihood to intervene in the moment at T1 predicted a number of responses to the victim's disclosure at T2. Those who were more likely to intervene in the moment responded to the victim's disclosure with more supportive responses and less blameful responses.