The bystander effect is a psychological principle addressing people’s actions or inaction when a stranger needs help. This phenomenon has been researched for decades and shown to be a relatively well-established pattern of behavior. Unfortunately, this practice protects abusers and instills doubt in those they abuse.
Now, what is the bystander effect in abuse cases? This is a situation our Michigan sexual abuse lawyer encounters all too often in cases of abuse when community members fail to intervene when someone in their family, organization, or social group is abusing someone. White Law PLLC is committed to fighting for your rights as someone abused, including identifying witnesses to your abuse, even if they chose not to intervene or report what they knew at the time.
The Bystander Effect
Any discussion of the bystander effect would be remiss without discussing the murder of Kitty Genovese. Kitty Genovese was a bar manager on her way home from work at 3 am on March 13, 1964, when she was stabbed, sexually assaulted, and killed. The total assault happened in two occurrences nearly 10 minutes apart.
Initial news reports stated that nearly 40 people had what happened to Kitty Genovese and did not act, allowing the killer time to return to rape and murder Kitty. It has since been shown that a neighbor calling from the window is what scared the attacker off initially and that someone saw her in the doorway to her apartment building and called 911. However, this spurred research regarding the bystander effect.
The premise of the bystander effect is that the more people who witness an event or exist in a space, the less likely each person is to help. This is believed to be related to the individual’s idea that someone else will intervene. The bystander effect is one of the reasons CPR trainings advise you to direct a specific person for help instead of simply saying, ‘Someone call 911!’
What it Looks Like
While the story of Kitty Genovese certainly gained attention, bystander inaction isn’t always so blatant. At White Law PLLC, we understand that sometimes, it’s noticing common signs of child abuse in a child at your summer camp and failing to say anything.
It can be hearing your neighbors fighting and suspecting violence but brushing it off as none of your business, watching a coworker make unwanted advances on another but staying silent. Regarding sexual assault on Michigan college campuses, it may be watching someone take a very intoxicated partner to another room when you know they are unable to consent but not stepping in.
Much of the time, those who fail to act in situations of abuse aren’t doing so because they don’t care about others or wish ill on the victim. They simply assume someone else will make the call. However, the best course of action is almost always to make the call if you are concerned.
Your Fight Is Our Fight
The Bystander Effect in Child Abuse Cases
One of the many times it is critical to overcome the bystander effect is in abuse cases. Our communities often take steps to handle this in their child protection laws, such as in Michigan, where mandated reporters are required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect. This requirement takes away any assumption that concerns of abuse are not the responsibility of the individual and includes positions that may often deal with vulnerable populations, such as:
- Physicians and medical staff
- Human service providers
- Law enforcement
- Childcare providers
- Physical and occupational therapists
- School employees
- Government employees
- Religious leaders and workers
The mandated reporter requirement requires individuals in these positions to report suspected abuse or neglect under penalty of law. The inclusion of childcare providers and clergy members acts as additional accountability within organizations to combat issues of abuse that our Michigan clergy sex abuse lawyer sees all too often.
Though abuse in the clergy is unfortunately common, it can occur within any organization, including schools, summer camps, medical facilities, or anywhere other adults may have unsupervised access to vulnerable populations.
Minimizing the Bystander Effect in Abuse Cases
While the bystander effect is pretty well documented in a variety of settings, understanding the motivations behind it and how we can counteract it is critical to protecting abuse survivors, extending to any abuse situation, whether the abuse takes place as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), sexual abuse, or physical abuse outside of an intimate relationship.
Countless situations, including those involving clergy abuse, abuse in the college setting, or summer camps, have others who suspect what is happening or witness it firsthand. Their decision to take ownership of the information and do something to intervene can be a life-or-death difference for many.
As a society, it has become more normalized and almost expected to interfere in situations where we see someone being hurt. In a recent study regarding bystander intervention in intimate partner violence, the authors highlight the shift in social responsibility in recent years. The page explains that our shift in social responsibility requires us to say something, and from that, we can assume that the more people feel responsible for helping others and doing the right thing, the more effectively we combat the bystander effect in society.
Additionally, no problem can be overcome when we don’t talk about it. In a page written by a domestic violence worker, they discuss bystander paralysis and how it can happen to anyone, including some of the common concerns of intervening, such as safety, making the situation worse, and your own uncertainty of ‘causing trouble.’ We can’t always be sure of how we’ll react in a stressful situation, but educating yourself using resources like the bystander intervention tip sheet can be a start.
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If someone has subjected you to abuse, you may be able to recover compensation. Even if no one around you seemed to notice what happened, we might be able to find witnesses who simply caved to the bystander effect in an abuse case. Failure to act in the moment may not mean they are unwilling to help later on.
At White Law PLLC, we take abuse cases seriously. Our sexual abuse and clergy abuse lawyers understand the importance of trauma-informed representation in abuse cases and value your autonomy as you take this monumental step in reclaiming your life. Call us today to schedule a free case consultation and discuss your options.
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