Knowledge paper produce for VicHealth, September 2017

This knowledge paper provides a synthesis of the empirical research literature related to bystander action and primary prevention, with a particular focus on the primary prevention of violence against women and family violence.
The literature included was empirical studies of programmes and reviews of empirical studies. Coverage was restricted to those programmes whose main purpose was primary prevention. Programmes which target perpetrators have been excluded.

The rapid review examined four questions:
- How can bystander behaviour best be understood, giving an overview of the various different theoretical frameworks that have demonstrated as useful by empirical research?
- What does the Australian and international evidence base on bystander interventions demonstrate?
- What are the moderating factors, enablers and barriers to prosocial bystander behaviour (including preconditions, cultural settings and/or contexts)?
- What is known about where, for whom and under what circumstances bystander programming and activity may be valuable? (From the executive summary).

This rapid review is the latest resource informing a program of research that aims to improve understanding of community and organisational capacity for bystander action to prevent violence against women in Victoria. All resources are available via the link. Record #6039