Bystander intervention to launch in November
In November, the College will implement the Dartmouth Bystander Intervention program, a Dartmouth-specific program designed to combat sexual assault and hazing on campus, according to Dean of the College Charlotte Johnson. DBI, developed by clinical psychologist Jennifer Sayre '93, will begin by focusing on preventing sexual assault and will involve training sessions to teach volunteers bystander intervention techniques that they would feel comfortable using in any situation, Johnson said. "What Jennifer Sayre and her team are doing is they're putting together a training program to say, Here are some of the warning signals, here are some of the circumstances that are ripe for sexual assault and here are skills that you can learn to intervene and prevent a possible sexual assault,'" Johnson said. Sayre and Johnson eventually hope to expand DBI to address hazing, they said. "The umbrella is designed to help all members of the community figure out what impact they want to have on the community," Sayre said. Bystander intervention programs addressing alcohol use and sexual assault exist around the country, but there is little research available on their application to hazing, Johnson said. "I'm pretty sure we'd be charting new territory," Johnson said. Sayre said that the program focuses on making intervention realistic for participants. "It's about finding solutions that honor your barriers," Sayre said.
