Dozens of men failed to stop an alleged gang rape at Cornell – here’s the misperception that keeps bystanders from intervening and how to short-circuit it

A social psychologist examines the alleged gang rape at Cornell, where reportedly more than 50 men learned of the assault via group chat while it happened and, as far as is publicly known, none intervened or alerted police.

Research cited shows most men overestimate how much their peers accept sexual violence, even though actual rates of self-reported assault are far lower than perceived peer tolerance; this misperception, not actual belief, predicts failure to intervene. Men who do commit assault tend to overestimate support for it the most.

Programs that correct these misperceptions and teach bystander intervention skills show measurable reductions in sexual violence on campuses that adopt them, including double-digit drops in harassment and stalking.

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