Scientific Articles

Jones, L. C. (2021). ‘Justice for Victims is Possible’: Student Reflections on #MeToo in an Online Gender and Justice Course. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 32(3), 344–360. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2021.1958886

Michelis, I., Makepeace, J., & Reis, C. (2024). Who Is Centered in the Humanitarian Response to Gender-Based Violence? A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Survivor-Centered Approach. Violence Against Women, 31(6-7), 1514-1535. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012241231783 (Original work published 2025)

Serradell, O., & Puigvert, L. (2025). Overcoming Sexual Harassment at University: The Case of the Training Intervention in the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Behavioral Sciences, 15(5), 596. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15050596 

Explanation of the Post

There is a persistent misconception that only gender experts can serve as trainers. However, upstanders exist across all academic disciplines, and they need to be visible to both staff and students—as supporters, role models, and trusted individuals to whom others can turn when facing a problem, and who will intervene to protect victims. Bystander intervention can take many forms, and everyone can contribute to prevention when activities are grounded in scientific evidence of social impact.

Jones (2021) contributes to the literature on teaching about gender-based violence (GBV). One of her objectives is to provide information to other instructors so they can effectively teach these challenging topics, for example in criminal justice courses. Her findings offer specific pedagogical strategies that can reduce victim-blaming attitudes, such as incorporating victim-centered content, the #MeToo movement, and other forms of activism. Part of the importance lies in equipping faculty instructors with educational tools that enable them to guide students using prompts and feedback, helping them engage more deeply with issues related to sexual violence.

Serradell and Puigvert (2025) highlight the importance of the interdisciplinary nature of the academic fields involved in achieving social impact. Upstanders from diverse disciplines, including both academic and non-academic staff, can serve as trainers and share the actions they are undertaking. The training activities can include conferences with survivors, exhibitions presenting scientific findings, or the integration of new concepts into school or faculty policies to address and prevent isolating gender violence.

Based on the idea that survivors are the “best experts” on their own experience, safety, and needs, Michelis, Makepeace and Reis (2024) highlight the need to incorporate the survivor-centered approach (SCA) into GBV response and to ensure that survivors’ voices are included in the training of GBV workers and service providers.

Other sources