‘Bystander Programmes’ are an innovative approach to challenging gender based violence.

Most of us are not ok with sexism and homophobia, but many of us lack the confidence, knowledge or skills to challenge it.

We may not be perpetrators or victims of gender based violence, but we are often silent bystanders.

A programme called GET SAVI (Students Against Violence Initiative) has been set up in Scotland which aims to give silent bystanders the skills and confidence to stand up and speak out against all forms of gender-based violence and abuse.

Gender-based violence is one of the most dangerous social issues of our time.

Research consistently says that many people globally experience gender based violence; that is straight women, children, transgendered men and women and members of the LGBT community experience verbal or physical abuse on a daily basis purely because of their real or perceived gender and sexual identity.

A study commissioned by LGBT Youth found that 81 per cent of respondents had experienced verbal abuse and nearly a third had been sexually assaulted.

That needs to be stopped.

Scotland’s GET SAVI programme has been developed in the belief that gender based violence is preventable.

Traditionally, prevention strategies and policies have been aimed at influencing the behaviour or attitudes of potential victims or perpetrators of gender based violence.

On issues relating to gender equality and gender based violence, the focus has been on education and awareness raising.

And while many prevention strategies have proved to be effective in challenging attitudes, ‘Bystander Programmes’ are an innovative approach to challenging gender based violence.

They take their cue from the fields of psychology, social sciences and epistemology, and see the target audience as potential allies in preventing gender based violence.

The idea is to support ‘bystanders’ in developing appropriate and safe intervention strategies.

A ‘bystander’ in this context is an adult who witnesses abuse and although they may not in any way perpetrate or condone the abuse, their inaction can contribute to its continuation.

It is often difficult for people to take action or speak out in such situations: people often feel threatened, embarrassed to speak out or take action in front of their peer group, or simply do not know what to do or say.

Research revealed that the barriers for intervening or challenging abusive behaviour are multi-faceted, but they include: men’s fear of other men, social punishment for speaking out, not having the confidence or language to challenge, and ‘keeping quiet’ being reinforced by societal, community or institutional norms.

Research also shows that a key reason why girls may be just as violent and aggressive as boys are is that masculine traits are regarded as superior to feminine traits, and girls will aspire to projecting what they perceive are desirable ‘masculine’ qualities.

One such perceived masculine quality is ‘strength’, which many children and young people equate with violence.

It is important to emphasise that ‘strength’ is not an exclusive masculine trait and that being strong does not mean being violent and abusive.

But back to bystanders.

Most of us at some point will have been a ‘passive bystander’, and continued to walk on.

The reason we do this is due to something psychologists call ’the bystander effect’. We often don’t intervene in situations for a variety of reasons, namely – we think it’s not our problem, we think someone else will deal with it, or we are worried for our own safety.

Our responses to gender based violence can be seen in the same way. Many of us know gender based violence is wrong, but many of us think that it’s not our problem or it’s not safe for us to challenge or intervene.

Have a look at the GET SAVI programme.

Scottish Women’s Aid is proud to be co-ordinating this programme for students alongside LGBT Youth, Rape Crisis Scotland, White Ribbon Scotland and Zero Tolerance.

Join us. Together we can stop gender based abuse.