Situational Facilitators and Barriers of Bystander Intervention Intent in Image-Based Sexual Abuse Contexts

Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) encompasses the taking, sharing, and/or making threats to share nude or sexual images of others without consent. Research shows that a large percentage of individuals have been a bystander to IBSA, but most do not intervene. Currently, there is little understanding of why this is the case. The research presented in this article begins to address this gap in the literature by identifying situational factors that facilitate or inhibit behavioral intentions to intervene through three experimental studies. In each study, situational factors were manipulated using vignettes that depicted the taking of images without consent (Study 1; n = 126), sharing images without consent (Study 2; n = 125), and threatening to share images (Study 3; n = 125). The dependent variable across studies was how likely they would be to intervene if they witnessed the scenario described. Study 1 investigated the effect of the presence of other bystanders (no other bystanders present, other bystanders present who were friends with each other, or other bystanders present who were strangers to each other), and no significant effect was found. Study 2 investigated the role of initial consent to take the image (self-taken or stealth-taken) and the bystander relationship with the victim (friend or stranger). Likelihood to intervene was less likely when the image was self-taken, and the victim was a stranger. Finally, Study 3 investigated the role of initial consent to take the image and bystander relationship with the perpetrator (friend or stranger). Perpetrator-focused intervention was more likely, but justice-focused intervention was less likely, when the perpetrator was a friend. These findings have implications for the development of educational materials, campaigns, and agendas aimed at encouraging bystander intervention.