Public responses to intimate partner violence against women

What makes someone take bystander action to intervene?  A new paper in the journal Spanish Journal of Psychology examines the role of bystander perceptions and differences when one considers intervening or mediating in an abusive situation. The full citation and link to the article follow the jump:

Public responses to intimate partner violence against women: the influence of perceived severity and personal responsibility.

Gracia E, Garcia F, Lila M. Spanish Journal of Psychology 2009; 12(2): 648-56.

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(Copyright © 2009, Complutense University of Madrid)

This paper explored public willingness to act when exposed to cases of intimate partner violence against women, by analyzing the influence of perceived severity and personal responsibility on two types of responses: mediating and reporting to the police. Results (N = 419) yielded main effects of personal responsibility for both types of responses. No main effects of perceived severity were found. A significant interaction between perceived severity and personal responsibility was found only for reporting responses. Results are discussed in light of the helping behavior research tradition. Implications for public education and advocacy programs are also considered.