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Bystander interventions for sexual assault promote third-party interference. People who endorse rape myths blame victims more and perpetrators less; consequently, rape myth acceptance (RMA) can impede helping behaviors toward sexual assault victims. Acute alcohol intoxication may exacerbate the effects of RMA on bystander intervention. In this study, we examined the influence of RMA—and potential moderating effect of acute alcohol intoxication—on predictors of bystander intervention. Young adults ( N = 128) completed a survey in a lab setting, then consumed either an alcoholic or control beverage, read and listened to a fictional sexual assault scenario, and finally completed a semi-structured interview and postexperiment survey assessing their perceptions of the scenario. Using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), we found people with higher RMA blamed the victim more and perpetrator less; they were also less likely to perceive responsibility to intervene for a sexual assault victim. Alcohol intoxication did not exacerbate these effects. That is, alcohol intoxication was not a context in which RMA was expressed more strongly. We recommend bystander programs continue to address RMA, specifically as a barrier to intervening.

Most women who are incarcerated have experienced sexual violence; difficulties adjusting to prison could interfere with women’s ability to benefit from trauma-focused therapy. Here, we explored whether therapeutic benefits of trauma treatment varied as a function of time since incarceration. Women ( N = 128) participated in an 8-week group treatment for sexual violence victimization while incarcerated in a community corrections center for nonviolent offenses. Ninety participants consented to the study and completed self-report questionnaires assessing internalizing symptoms (depression, posttraumatic stress, and shame) before and after treatment. Bivariate correlations revealed a significant negative association between time since incarceration and pretreatment depression but not posttraumatic symptoms or shame. Dependent-sample t tests revealed significant improvements from pretreatment to posttreatment in internalizing symptoms. Longer time since incarceration did not significantly predict internalizing symptoms after controlling for pretreatment symptom severity. Findings suggest trauma-focused treatments can be offered to women shortly after they are incarcerated.

Emerging adults are especially vulnerable to experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault. While bystanders play a critical role in preventing sexual assault, little is known about how bystander alcohol intoxication affects the intervention process—particularly in naturalistic settings. We recruited 315 emerging adult bargoers ages 21–29 (46% women; 28% non-college attending; 81% White) from a high-density bar area to provide responses to a sexual assault vignette and complete a breath alcohol concentration test. In this field-based study, we found a negative direct association between intoxication and appraisal of risk in the hypothetical sexual assault situation. We also found a negative indirect relation of intoxication on perceptions of personal responsibility to intervene and confidence in the ability to intervene, statistically mediated through reduced risk appraisal. Findings add to the limited literature in laboratory-based settings suggesting that bystander intoxication interferes with sexual assault intervention and help inform effective bystander intervention programming for emerging adults.

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