Scientific Articles

Coker, A. L., Bush, H. M., Fisher, B. S., Swan, S. C., Williams, C. M., Clear, E. R., & DeGue, S. (2016). Multi-college bystander intervention evaluation for violence prevention. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 50(3), 295–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2015.08.034

Galar, A., Cañaveras, P., Pulido, C., López de Aguileta, A., López de Aguileta, G., & Flecha, R. (2025). The healthy effects of MeToo Schools: A qualitative analysis of six schools implementing the Zero Violence Brave Club. Healthcare, 13(7), 739. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13070739

Steele, B., Martin, M., Yakubovich, A., Humphreys, D. K., & Nye, E. (2020). Risk and Protective Factors for Men’s Sexual Violence Against Women at Higher Education Institutions: A Systematic and Meta-Analytic Review of the Longitudinal Evidence. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(3), 716-732. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838020970900 (Original work published 2022)

Explanation of the Post

Many tragic events could have been prevented if someone had stepped in. Kennerdell and Parsons (2022) highlight this in their powerful report on the bystander effect, using the heartbreaking case of a two-year-old boy abducted and murdered in 1992. The authors show that if just one person had intervened during the ten hours the child was held, the outcome might have been different. Their research offers practical strategies to help people move from being passive observers to active protectors. These include recognizing the victim as someone who could be close to you, taking personal responsibility, encouraging others to act, resisting social pressure, and reporting incidents to authorities.

This idea (known as bystander intervention) has gained strong support in social science research. Studies show that it can be one of the most effective ways to prevent violence, especially in schools and universities. For example, Steele et al. (2020) found that programs teaching students to challenge harmful peer norms and promote consent can reduce sexual violence in higher education institutions (HEIs). They even recommend starting these interventions in high school or earlier.

One program that has shown real-world success is the Zero Violence Brave Club (ZVBC). This initiative helps children and teenagers (from age 3 to 16+) learn how to support their peers and stand up against bullying and gender-based violence. It has been implemented in schools across Europe and Latin America, with positive results (Ríos-González & Ramis-Salas, 2023; Carbonell et al., 2025; Galar et al., 2025; Serradell, 2025).

The heart of the ZVBC is simple but powerful: no one should face violence alone. Victims often suffer in silence because others are afraid to speak up. The ZVBC teaches students to become “upstanders” (people who actively support victims) rather than bystanders who do nothing. This shift in peer behaviour is essential to stopping violence before it escalates. The program is based on the Dialogic Model of Prevention and Resolution of Conflicts, a method recognized by the European Commission for its success in promoting inclusion and social cohesion (Flecha, 2015; Villarejo et al., 2019).

While many academic studies confirm the importance of support for victims and the effectiveness of bystander intervention (e.g., Banyard et al., 2007; Burn, 2009; Coker et al., 2016), there is still a gap between research and real impact. For example, in South Africa, studies show that gender-based violence is widespread in universities, but there’s little evidence on what works to prevent it (Hewet et al., 2023; Mutinta, 2022). Some researchers, like Franklin-Corben & Towl (2023), argue that universities need clearer guidance on how to respond effectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some institutions improved support for victims by offering online interviews, which helped provide faster and more accessible help. In Ethiopia, where many female university staff have experienced workplace violence, Ali et al. (2024) recommend creating committees to track incidents, raise awareness, and ensure support services are available.

To make a real difference, we need to focus on actions that have proven results. Training university communities in the Zero Violence Brave Club (ZVBC) approach could help replicate its success in higher education institutions. This would involve co-creation with the involved stakeholders, including students, faculty, and staff, to build safer and more supportive environments. Through this collaborative process, the initiative can be adapted to the specific needs of each institution, ensuring greater impact and sustainability in the fight against gender-based and peer violence.

Other sources

Ali MA, Semahegn A, Ashenafi W, Legesse H (2024) Workplace gender-based violence among female staff in public higher education institutions in eastern Ethiopia: Institution-based cross-sectional study. PLOS Glob Public Health 4(7): e0003489. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0003489

Banyard, V. L., Moynihan, M. M., & Plante, E. G. (2007). Sexual violence prevention through bystander education: An experimental evaluation. Journal of Community Psychology, 35(4), 463–481. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20159

Burn, S. M. (2009). A situational model of sexual assault prevention through bystander intervention. Sex Roles, 60(11–12), 779–792. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008-9581-5

Carbonell, S.; Melgar, P.; Ríos, O.; Tellado, I. & Canal, J.M. (2025). The Zero Violence Brave Club: a successful educational action to overcome isolating gender-based violence with young adolescents. Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research, 14(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44322-025-00031-2

Flecha, R. (Ed.). (2015). Successful educational actions for inclusion and social cohesion in Europe. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11176-6

Franklin-Corben, P., & Towl, G. (2023). Responding to gender-based violence in higher education: Changes as a function of COVID-19. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, 15(3), 216–220. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-06-2022-0721

Hewett, M., Butler-Kruger, L., Foflonker, K., Edge, J., Botha, M. H., & Seedat, S. (2023). Desktop analysis and qualitative investigation of programmes and initiatives for the prevention of and response to gender-based violence at South African universities with medical campuses. South African Journal of Higher Education, 37(5), 142–157. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-high_v37_n5_a11

Kennerdell, A., Parsons, C., & ShortCutsTV (Producer). (2022). Beyond the bystander effect [Film]. ShortCutsTV.

Mutinta, G. (2022). Gender-based violence among female students and implicatons for health intervention programmes in public universities in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Cogent Social Sciences, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2022.2079212

Rios-Gonzalez, O., Ramis-Salas, M. (2023). Reducing Bullying in Schools: Features of the Zero Violence Brave Club. In: Martin, C.R., Preedy, V.R., Patel, V.B. (eds) Handbook of Anger, Aggression, and Violence. Springer, Cham. https://doi-org.eux.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31547-3_117

Roca-Campos E, Duque E, Ríos O and Ramis-Salas M (2021) The Zero Violence Brave Club: A Successful Intervention to Prevent and Address Bullying in Schools. Front. Psychiatry 12:601424. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.601424

Serradell, O. (2025, June 24). You can start a very big thing with one good friend: This is how bystander intervention becomes a reality. Daily27. https://daily27.info/2025/06/24/you-can-start-a-very-big-thing-with-one-good-friend-this-is-how-bystander-intervention-becomes-a-reality/

Villarejo-Carballido, B., Pulido, C. M., de Botton, L., & Serradell, O. (2019). Dialogic Model of Prevention and Resolution of Conflicts: Evidence of the Success of Cyberbullying Prevention in a Primary School in Catalonia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(6), 918. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16060918