Bystander Trainers
Research done at Boston College has shown that students who attend a Bystander Intervention presentation are more likely to intervene in questionable situations that could lead to sexual violence. We have also found the message of Bystander Intervention is best received when it is presented by a peer, which is why we have trainers! Bystander Intervention trainers are a group of Èȵ㱬ÁÏÈë¿Ú students who teach their peers about sexual violence, red flags that often occur prior to such violence, and intervention techniques to keep fellow students safe from sexual violence. All Boston College students receive two presentations during their first year at Èȵ㱬ÁÏÈë¿Ú. The first presentation is 30 minutes long, and it is at the beginning of the semester during Welcome Week. The second presentation, which occurs later in the semester, is a more in-depth discussion and reinforcement of the topics discussed in the first presentation. Bystander Intervention trainers themselves attend weekly educational meetings to learn how to better support survivors and dismantle oppression at Èȵ㱬ÁÏÈë¿Ú.
Our Continuing Education (CE) meetings are held every Monday from 7:00pm – 8:00 pm. All trainers are expected to attend. Our Monday meetings provide the space to build community, support each other, discuss current events related to sexual assault, and learn more from guest speakers. Outside the CE commitment, we ask that each trainer give at least two presentations per semester.
Characteristics of Bystander Team Members
We are looking for students who are:
- Passionate about sexual assault prevention
- Personally willing to speak up or intervene in difficult situations
- Comfortable with public speaking (or willing to learn)
- Mature, responsible, and reliable
- Able to make the time commitment
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Applications for the Bystander Intervention Team are closed for SY 2024-2025, and will open again in the Spring of 2025. Feel free to reach out to us at bystand@bc.edu or come visit the Women's Center (Maloney 441), if you have any questions!