Bystander Intervention to Address Sexual Harassment in Academia: Experiences of Faculty and Staff Targets

Sexual harassment (SH) in academia is a pervasive public health issue, underscoring the need for effective prevention initiatives. Bystander intervention (BI) models are increasingly used in workplace settings; however, one gap in the existing literature is understanding BI from the perspective of the target of harassment. The purpose of this study is to explore faculty and staff experiences with SH, whether bystanders were present, and the nature and impact of their actions. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from 5,227 faculty and staff at a university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Of those reporting experiencing SH in the past year ( n = 395), more than half (56.4%) indicated a witness was present. A significantly greater percentage of participants who experienced SH committed by a person with supervisory or influential impact over them reported that a witness was present (62.0%), compared to those whose harassment was committed by someone without such a role (50.2%). In cases where a witness was present, less than one-quarter of participants (21.4%) reported that the bystander took action to intervene in the situation; bystanders were more likely to take intervention action in cases where the SH was committed by someone who did not have supervisory or influential impact over the target. Just over half of the participants (53.4%) reporting bystanders took action indicated the intervention was helpful. Bystander action was positively linked to target disclosure. These findings can help guide the adaptation of initiatives that use this model for SH prevention in academic settings.