September 30, 2014

Nearly one in five undergraduate women experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college.¹ Reducing incidence of sexual assault on college campuses requires a multifaceted approach that includes addressing risk factors associated with sexual assault and improving students’ prosocial behavior.²

Alcohol is a known risk factor associated with sexual assault. Conservative estimates show alcohol is involved in 50 percent of sexual assaults. Increasing students’ awareness of alcohol’s effects can improve his/her decision making. One program showing promise in addressing college alcohol consumption and its effects is Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention of College Students (BASICS). BASICS is a harm-reduction program for college students that aims to reduce alcohol consumption and its adverse consequences, promote healthier choices among young adults and provide information and coping skills for reducing risk.

Study outcomes show BASICS intervention significantly reduced the negative consequences related to drinking experienced by the treatment group, when compared with the control group. The treatment group also showed reduced alcohol consumption after their participation in BASICS. Alcohol education is having a proven impact and it’s fair to assume if we can decrease alcohol abuse on college campuses, the number of sexual assaults on college campuses will also decline.

While addressing risk factors associated with sexual assault is crucial, we must also increase prosocial behavior on college campuses. Bystander education teaches potential witnesses safe and positive ways they can act to prevent or intervene when there is a risk for sexual violence. Bringing in the Bystander™ is a sexual violence prevention program aimed at increasing prosocial attitudes and behaviors of precursors to sexual victimization. The program emphasizes that all members of the community have a role to play in preventing sexual and intimate partner violence.

Study outcomes show Bringing in the Bystander™ improved the treatment groups’ knowledge of sexual violence, decreased their acceptance of rape myths and increased their bystander attitudes (likelihood of intervening), efficacy (confidence in ability to intervene) and behavior (actions taken in the previous two months).

Increasing this sense of community on college campuses can have a far-reaching impact. When we feel connected to our peers and surroundings, we also feel a greater sense of responsibility to protect them.

For more information about BASICS visit https://www.crimesolutions.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?ID=138. For more information about Bringing in the Bystander visit http://www.crimesolutions.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?ID=159. For more information visit https://www.notalone.gov/.
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¹Center for Disease Control Sexual Violence Facts at a Glance 2012: Krebs CP, Linquist CH, Warner TD, Fisher BS, Martin SL. College women’s experiences with physically forced, alcohol- or other drug-enabled, and drug-facilitated sexual assault before and since entering college. Journal of American College Health 2009; 57(6):639-647.
²The term prosocial behavior means positive actions that benefit others, prompted by empathy, moral values, and a sense of personal responsibility.