2 ND CLASS
Step it Up
Understanding Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault
Today’s Discussion
 The Citadel’s Mission: To educate and develop our students to
become principled leaders in all walks of life by instilling the
core values of The Citadel in a disciplined and intellectually
challenging environment.
 Class objective: To explain the concept of bystander
intervention through definitions, sexual assault/harassment case
studies, discussion, and a five-step process.
Step it up…Lead.
 Juniors, as leaders in the corps, have the duty to understand,
apply, and execute concepts.

How does this relate when it comes to understanding and responding
to sexual harassment and sexual assault?

Questions to discuss:

Understanding: Do you think you would recognize sexual assault or
sexual harassment if you saw it?

Applying: As a 2nd class cadet, what are your moral and ethical
responsibilities, if any, to help others in difficult situations?

Executing: How could you intervene if you saw someone being assaulted
or harassed?
Stepping it up to Intervene
 Frequently, individuals witnessing issues like sexual harassment do not offer any
means of help to victims.

This is called the “bystander effect.”
 Communities and colleges around the country are promoting bystander
intervention instead.
 What is bystander intervention?

When someone who observes a situation then takes safe and effective actions to step
in and offer assistance. At The Citadel, we call our bystander intervention program
Step it Up.
 Why step in?

You are a leader. Leaders understand, apply, and execute concepts. Bystander
intervention is a proven concept that reduces violence on college campuses, making a
safer, healthier environment for everyone.
Five steps toward taking action
Step it Up…Bystander Intervention
1.
2.
3.
4.
Notice the situation or issue.
Decide if the situation or issue demands action.
Decide if you have the responsibility to act.
Choose what form of assistance to use. Seek input from others.
Some possible intervention techniques:




5.
Create a diversion
Separate the parties
Use a group approach to diffuse the situation
Talk privately to potential victim
Intervene safely.

If danger is involved, call authorities instead of addressing the situation yourself.
 Consider the scenarios on the following slides and decide
if they involve situations in which you should and/or
would intervene.
 Please be aware that some of the material is graphic and might be
disturbing to some people.
Sexual Harassment Case Study

1.
http://news.yahoo.com/video/abc-breaking-every-sexual-harassment-080000435.html
Did anyone notice the issue?
o
2.
Did the issue demand action??
o
3.
Why or why not?
What are some other ways they could have intervened?
o
5.
Why or why not?
Did people have a responsibility to intervene?
o
4.
Give examples
Give examples
Could it have been unsafe to intervene?
o Give examples
Sexual Assault Case Study
 Steubenville, Ohio

Show clip from 3:20-7:10 : http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xy6rq5_thesteubenville-rape-crew-and-their-slut-shaming-supporters-the-philip-defrancoshow_news
 That was a lot of information, fast…Here’s a summary from Wikipedia
 The Steubenville High School rape occurred in
Steubenville, Ohio, on the night of August 11, 2012,
when a high school girl, incapacitated by alcohol,
was publicly and repeatedly sexually assaulted by her
peers, several of whom documented the acts in social
media. The victim was transported, undressed,
photographed, and sexually assaulted. She was also
penetrated vaginally by other students’ fingers (digital
penetration), an act defined as rape under Ohio law.
 The verdict
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9IQrcB6Aak
 Whose lives will be affected forever?
Breaking it Down to Step it Up
 Could this situation have been avoided? Use the five steps in
bystander intervention to discuss.
1. Did anyone notice the situation or issue?
o Give examples
2. Was this a situation that demanded action??
o Why or why not?
3. Did people attending the party have the responsibility to intervene?
o Why or why not?
4. What are some ways they could have intervened?
o Give examples
5. Could it have been unsafe to intervene?
o Give examples
 Tips for intervening
 Do not put yourself in danger
 Enlist the help of others if necessary
 Approach the situation in a positive, non-threatening way
 Avoid violence
 If the situation becomes too serious or dangerous, contact the police
 What are some barriers to bystander intervention and how can we overcome
them?




Failure to notice
Failure to identify situation as risky
Failure to take intervention responsibility
Failure to intervene due to audience inhibition
 Even if you aren’t sure if a situation is risky, if you have a gut feeling it can’t hurt to
check on the situation. Also don’t assume that just because a lot of people are the
location that someone else will intervene.