Break the bystander e ect
“I think there’s something much deeper that’s
so many ways you can intervene that don’t
These sexual o ence cases are explained by SAPS to include rape, sexual assault, attempted sexual o ences and contact sexual o ences. Such sexual acts are not consented to and they often make victims feel uncomfortable, afraid and vulnerable.
Too many of us are silent bystanders to sexual misconduct. Why are we afraid to speak out? Or do we think it’s just far more expedient to mind our business? Mentally, this form of human behaviour might signal that we could su er from the ‘bystander e ect’ during such moral quandaries. According to psychological research, the solution to breaking these ranks of silence is to encourage helpful bystander responses.
Contemporary Attachment Theory in its relation to situations of violence tells us that the bystander is crucial in the interaction that develops between the perpetrator and the victim of violence. Professor Lisa Young from Rhodes University’s psychology department, says the focus in cases of violence shouldn’t be solely placed on the victim and the perpetrator, the bystander plays a vital role too.
“Often the focus is just on the perpetrator who’s the one committing the violence and the victim who’s the one receiving the violence. But what this speci c theory draws attention to is actually how bystanders respond to the violence, whether they allow it to happen, intervene or encourage it. That is crucial to whether this violent interaction continues and perpetuates and even reproduces itself in other relationships or whether it stops,” said Young.
The act of bystanding during occurrences of sexual advances towards women and children.
University’s Philosophy Department, asserts sexual misconduct towards women and children is a deeply problematic social issue. Acts of sexual misconduct which imply harassment, violence, assault or abuse are at a growing in South Africa. Between January and March of 2021, 12 133 sexual o ence cases were reported as re ected in the fourth quarter of the 2020/2021 South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Statistics. Within this tracking, the Eastern Cape alone recorded 2 024 cases.
added to that general kind of bystander e ect
phenomenon which is the meaning given
to masculinity, particularly to sexual access, the relationship between sexual access, sexual
activity and masculinity. A lot of men who identify as cisgender have kind of a vested interest in not breaking ranks with the 'brotherhood'. There’s kind of a sense of being responsible for one another in terms of not snitching on one another. But also getting into a culture where you’re more respected I think as a man if you do have access,” Kelland declared.
She [Lindsay] says conformity and the ‘power of the group’ plays a crucial role in the bystander e ect. “The bystander e ect is very much related to issues around conformity and the research has shown that we conform far more easily than we would want to if we were on our own. There’s something about the ‘power of the group’. If we don’t have a culture of speaking out then the perceived costs of
necessarily put you in danger, because that’s one of the biggest fears of bystanders. They might think they will suddenly become the target of whatever is going on that’s violent in
She o ers us four bystander intervention methods that will encourage people to be active bystanders when they witness an act of sexual misconduct in their presence: front of them,” Dey says.
Interrupt
“Distracting the person or causing an interruption, any kind of interruption in whatever it is that they are engaged in.”
Disrupt
The relationship between the bystander e ect and masculinity is a linkage that is essential to make when addressing issues of unsolicited
Lindsay Kelland, a senior lecturer in the Allan Gray Centre for Leadership Ethics at Rhodes that there’s an enabling culture among males in general to acquire sexual access.
“Spek Out!” by Truthout.org is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
In order to cultivate a culture of fearlessly ‘speaking out’, it is signi cant to understand that the role of the bystander is central speaking out are going to be very high.”
in stopping any inappropriate or violent interactions. Kathleen Dey, who is the director of Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust, a non-pro t organisation that provides a safe space of support and empowerment for survivors of rape and other sexual o ences, states that rape and other forms of sexual misconduct are designed to in ict helplessness to the person who’s receiving it.
“The helplessness extends to the bystanders and so what happens is the bystander doesn’t know exactly what to do. They feel paralysed, they feel trapped and, in some instances, they even want to turn away. Or you have that other e ect where they actually enable.”
“The rst thing you have to do as a bystander is be conscious that what is happening around you is something you can change. There are
“To either move towards the victim and take them out of that situation. The most di cult decision would be to challenge the aggressor and call them out, which is not necessarily always the best thing to do because the big fear is that the aggressor will turn to you.”
Contact the authorities
people around if it happens to be a crowded
“Call the police and draw attention from other area. But if there’s no one else around your options are then quite limited. But leaving the scene and calling the police is de nitely a bystander intervention.”
O er support to the victim
“O ering support to the victim is the last bystander intervention. This will make the victim or survivor of that incident feel safe, contained, supported and helped.”
• Banathi Mgqoboka is a multi-platform news media practitioner, writer and a relater of anecdotes. He is currently completing a Master of Arts degree in Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies in Makhanda. His MA research focuses on the potency of broadcast mediafacilitated political and citizenry discussions by critically analysing the SABC’s “The Big Debate” TV series.