The Bystander Initiative, led by Lecturer Professor of Law Amos Guiora and a team of student research assistants, is dedicated to the work of criminalizing bystanders and enablers of abuse.
The Initiative focuses on numerous projects including books, law review articles, legislative efforts in the U.S. and globally to hold enablers and bystanders accountable, and wide engagement with the public. It focuses on the ecosystem at the core of harm caused to the vulnerable, and is committed to efforts whereby bystanders and enablers would be held accountable for their actions. A Holocaust survivor best captured the essence of the Bystander Initiative: “You are giving voice to the voiceless.”
The goals of the Bystander Initiative are to:
- Hold enablers and bystanders accountable
- Work with legislators around the world on criminalizing bystanders and enablers
- Engage in widespread education on the harm caused by bystanders and enablers
About Prof. Amos Guiora
Amos N. Guiora has an A.B. from Kenyon College, a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and a Ph.D. from Leiden University. He is a distinguished fellow and counselor at the International Center for Conflict Resolution at University of Pittsburgh, a non-resident Fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, a distinguished fellow at Chicago Kent College of Law’s Consortium on Research on the Study of the Holocaust and the Law, a member of the Board of Advisors for S.E.S.A.M.E., a member of the Board of Directors of the Lauren McCluskey Foundation, and a member of the Consultant Group of the Holocaust Claims Commission. He was the inaugural chair of the University of Utah Independent Review Committee, and chaired the Gymnastics Canada Task Force on Assault.
For the past 10 years, Guiora has been researching the question of bystanders and enablers, resulting in a number of books including The Crime of Complicity: The Bystander in the Holocaust, Armies of Enablers: Survivor Stories of Complicity and Betrayal in Sexual Assaults, The Complicity of Silence: Confronting Ecosystems of Child Sexual Abuse in Schools, and Enablers: Normalizing the Unimaginable. His forthcoming Guiora on Enablers, Bystanders, and Institutional Complicity will be part of the American Bar Association Series.
He has also authored several law review articles addressing enablers and bystanders and has testified on this issue both in the U.S. and abroad.
In 2023, Guiora received the University of Utah’s Bennion Center Distinguished Faculty Service Award for his work on enablers and bystanders, and in 2024 was voted Outstanding Professor by the S.J. Quinney College of Law 2024 graduating class.
Support the Bystander Initiative
The generosity of donors allows the College of Law to compete for and attract highly qualified students to research and study under the mentorship of Prof. Guiora. We invite you to consider supporting our students in any of the following ways:
Bystander Initiative Directorship Fund
Your gifts to the Bystander Initiative Directorship Fund provides ongoing financial support for Professor Amos Guiora’s work, including research, travel, software needs, and other funding needs as they arise. These funds allow him to respond to the most pressing requests and opportunities presented to the Bystander Initiative.
Fellowships
We are seeking to establish a prestigious Bystander Initiative Fellowship, which covers or partially covers the cost of tuition in exchange for 20 hours of work per week. Gifts can be made as a one-time payment or an ongoing annual commitment.
Research Assistantships
Prof. Guiora’s team of student research assistants are funded on an hourly basis for their work on the various projects undertaken by the Bystander Initiative. A gift of $5,000 per year supports one research assistantship for a student working up to 150 hours per semester at $15 per hour.
Scholarships
Scholarships allow the College of Law to attract exceptional law students and provide educational access to underserved students. Any gift to the Bystander Initiative Scholarship will support competitive awards for students volunteering or working on the initiative who have demonstrated a profound commitment to the work.
To give by mail
Make checks payable to the Bystander Initiative with a note for “Directorship” or “Student Support” and send to the University of Utah Advancement Office at the following address:
U of U Advancement Office
PO Box 58006
Salt Lake City, UT 84158
Questions?
For more information on supporting the Bystander Initiative, please contact Lexie Kite, senior director of development, at Lexie.kite@law.utah.edu.
