Bystanders’ Intention to Intervene in a Street Harassment Scenario: The Effects of Personal and Situational Factors

Street harassment is a common form of gender-based violence against women. Bystanders are sometimes present when this violence occurs, yet there is limited literature on the factors influencing their decision to intervene. We conducted two cross-sectional studies to further explore this subject. Study 1 analyzes how personal variables (gender and political opinion), and situational variables (bystander effect and type of violence) influence the intention to respond. This study included an opportunity sample of 1563 people (79.4% women and 20.6% men) that filled out a sociodemographic data sheet, the Social Desirability Scale (SDC), and the Questionnaire of Intention to Help in VAW Cases (QIHVC). The results suggest that programs targeting women should focus on diminishing feelings of fear, while those aimed at men should stress fostering empathy toward victims. Study 2 explores correlates of bystander response intentions. This study involved an opportunity sample of 785 people (80.3% women and 19.7% men), completing the same instruments as in Study 1 and adding the Global Belief in a Just World Scale (GBJWS) and the Questionnaire on attitudes towards “piropos” (AP). The results suggest that feeling responsible may influence whether bystanders choose to intervene. These insights could be used to develop more effective training program frameworks.