Pennsylvania State University recently held a four-day training session in bystander intervention for about 75 faculty and staff members from 19 of its campuses. Those who completed the training can now take their new knowledge and skills back to their particular campus and conduct bystander intervention training for staff and students aimed at reducing sexual assault on campus.
The training is designed to provide faculty and staff with the skills and understanding to foster a safe environment, recognize when it is appropriate to intervene, and empower people to diffuse problematic situations.
Katie Tenny, chair of the Bystander Intervention Initiative at Penn State, said that “everyone has a role to play in preventing violence and watching out for each other. The training is a tangible way to say: These are roles you can play, by preventing a potentially harmful situation, or by recognizing the contributions we can all make in our daily lives to proactively create a culture on campus that does not tolerate sexual misconduct.”