An empirical research study on barriers, facilitators, and strategies to promote bystander intervention in intimate image abuse contexts

Research suggests that support for, and intervention by, people who witness abusive behaviours can reduce the extent and impacts of those behaviours, problematic attitudes, and harms. Research also suggests that promoting bystander intervention when witnessing violence and discrimination may be an effective prevention tool. In this regard, bystanders could play a greater role in preventing intimate image abuse (IIA). This chapter builds on the existing bystander intervention theory and literature base to better understand bystander intervention in relation to IIA. Utilizing data from thirty-five in-person focus groups with 219 participants in four Australian States, this chapter explores barriers and facilitators to bystander intervention in IIA contexts, and how messaging could be improved to promote safe and effective bystander intervention. It was found that bystander intervention was affected by perceptions of safety and the potential risks of intervening; gender; perceptions of how the intervention would be perceived by the perpetrator and other bystanders; relationships; the age, physicality, and mental state of the perpetrator; and the presence of others. The chapter concludes by discussing what mechanisms participants identified as potential ways to improve bystander intervention when witnessing IIA.