The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students—The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University

Agnieszka E. Łyś; Kamilla Bargiel-Matusiewicz; Katrine Zeuthen; Giussy Barbara; Cristina Cattaneo; Federica Collini; Barbara Horten; Petr Pavlík; Irene Pellizzone; Irena Smetáčková; Esther Vitha Ringhof; Abisha Visnu; Marleen Orth

doi:10.1177/10778012251362224

The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students—The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University

Agnieszka E. Łyś
, Kamilla Bargiel-Matusiewicz
, Katrine Zeuthen
, Giussy Barbara
, Cristina Cattaneo
, Federica Collini
, Barbara Horten
, Petr Pavlík
, Irene Pellizzone
, Irena Smetáčková
, Esther Vitha Ringhof
, Abisha Visnu
, Marleen Orth

Department of Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study evaluates the potential effectiveness of an online course concerning gender-based violence prevention, which combines the bystander intervention approach and the myths-based approach. The sample consists of 67 students who participated in three measurements—before the course, immediately after the course, and 3 months later. Gender-based violence myth acceptance decreased, and bystander efficacy increased after the course. The effects were the strongest among people with high ambivalent sexism and gender essentialism. The results suggest that the course was effective; however, a replication on a bigger and more diverse sample is needed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3061-3090
Number of pages	30
Journal	Violence Against Women
Volume	32
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012251362224
Publication status	Published - Jul 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 5 Gender Equality
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

bystander efficacy
gender-based violence
gender-based violence myth acceptance
rape myth acceptance
violence prevention

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10.1177/10778012251362224

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Łyś, A. E., Bargiel-Matusiewicz, K., Zeuthen, K., Barbara, G., Cattaneo, C., Collini, F., Horten, B., Pavlík, P., Pellizzone, I., Smetáčková, I., Ringhof, E. V., Visnu, A., & Orth, M. (2026). The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students—The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University. Violence Against Women, 32(9), 3061-3090. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012251362224

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title = "The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students{\textemdash}The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University",

abstract = "This study evaluates the potential effectiveness of an online course concerning gender-based violence prevention, which combines the bystander intervention approach and the myths-based approach. The sample consists of 67 students who participated in three measurements{\textemdash}before the course, immediately after the course, and 3 months later. Gender-based violence myth acceptance decreased, and bystander efficacy increased after the course. The effects were the strongest among people with high ambivalent sexism and gender essentialism. The results suggest that the course was effective; however, a replication on a bigger and more diverse sample is needed.",

keywords = "bystander efficacy, gender-based violence, gender-based violence myth acceptance, rape myth acceptance, violence prevention",

author = "{\L}y{\'s}, \{Agnieszka E.\} and Kamilla Bargiel-Matusiewicz and Katrine Zeuthen and Giussy Barbara and Cristina Cattaneo and Federica Collini and Barbara Horten and Petr Pavl{\'i}k and Irene Pellizzone and Irena Smet{\'a}{\v c}kov{\'a} and Ringhof, \{Esther Vitha\} and Abisha Visnu and Marleen Orth",

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year = "2026",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1177/10778012251362224",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

pages = "3061--3090",

journal = "Violence Against Women",

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Łyś, AE, Bargiel-Matusiewicz, K, Zeuthen, K, Barbara, G, Cattaneo, C, Collini, F, Horten, B, Pavlík, P, Pellizzone, I, Smetáčková, I, Ringhof, EV, Visnu, A & Orth, M 2026, 'The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students—The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University', Violence Against Women, vol. 32, no. 9, pp. 3061-3090. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012251362224

The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students—The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University. / Łyś, Agnieszka E.; Bargiel-Matusiewicz, Kamilla; Zeuthen, Katrine et al.
In: Violence Against Women, Vol. 32, No. 9, 07.2026, p. 3061-3090.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students—The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University

AU - Łyś, Agnieszka E.

AU - Bargiel-Matusiewicz, Kamilla

AU - Zeuthen, Katrine

AU - Barbara, Giussy

AU - Cattaneo, Cristina

AU - Collini, Federica

AU - Horten, Barbara

AU - Pavlík, Petr

AU - Pellizzone, Irene

AU - Smetáčková, Irena

AU - Ringhof, Esther Vitha

AU - Visnu, Abisha

AU - Orth, Marleen

PY - 2026/7

Y1 - 2026/7

N2 - This study evaluates the potential effectiveness of an online course concerning gender-based violence prevention, which combines the bystander intervention approach and the myths-based approach. The sample consists of 67 students who participated in three measurements—before the course, immediately after the course, and 3 months later. Gender-based violence myth acceptance decreased, and bystander efficacy increased after the course. The effects were the strongest among people with high ambivalent sexism and gender essentialism. The results suggest that the course was effective; however, a replication on a bigger and more diverse sample is needed.

AB - This study evaluates the potential effectiveness of an online course concerning gender-based violence prevention, which combines the bystander intervention approach and the myths-based approach. The sample consists of 67 students who participated in three measurements—before the course, immediately after the course, and 3 months later. Gender-based violence myth acceptance decreased, and bystander efficacy increased after the course. The effects were the strongest among people with high ambivalent sexism and gender essentialism. The results suggest that the course was effective; however, a replication on a bigger and more diverse sample is needed.

KW - bystander efficacy

KW - gender-based violence

KW - gender-based violence myth acceptance

KW - rape myth acceptance

KW - violence prevention

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U2 - 10.1177/10778012251362224

DO - 10.1177/10778012251362224

M3 - Article

SN - 1077-8012

VL - 32

SP - 3061

EP - 3090

JO - Violence Against Women

JF - Violence Against Women

IS - 9

ER -

Łyś AE, Bargiel-Matusiewicz K, Zeuthen K, Barbara G, Cattaneo C, Collini F et al. The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students—The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University. Violence Against Women. 2026 Jul;32(9):3061-3090. doi: 10.1177/10778012251362224

The Potential Effectiveness of an Online Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for European Students—The Role of Gender Essentialism, Ambivalent Sexism, and Perceived Responsiveness of the University

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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