One of the basic premises of the Bystander Initiative is that there is an entire systemic framework around sexual and other abuse, which Guiora has labelled the ecosystem. Guiora’s work focuses on bystanders – individuals who witness the crime – and enablers – individuals and institutions who are in positions to prevent the crime but do not do so. He has previously written books about bystander and enabler complicity in the Holocaust and in sexual abuse in USA Gymnastics and other athletic programs.
Amos N. Guiora is Professor of Law at the S.J. Quinney College of Law, the University of Utah. He is a Distinguished Fellow at The Consortium for the Research and Study of Holocaust and the Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law, and a Distinguished Fellow and Counselor at the International Center for Conflict Resolution, Katz School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. Professor Guiora is on the Board of the Lauren McClusky Foundation.
For the past 10 years Guiora has been researching-writing-lecturing on the question of bystanders (originally in the Holocaust) resulting in his books, The Crime of Complicity: The Bystander in the Holocaust and Armies of Enablers:Survivor Stories of Complicity and Betrayal in Sexual Assaults.
Professor Guiora’s most recent article, Holding Enablers of Child Sexual Abuse Accountable: The Case of Jeremy Bell, addresses the role of enablers in sexual assault of children.
Professor Guiora Directs the SJ Quinney College of Law Bystander Initiative, a publicly funded student-staffed initiative.
Professor Guiora has an A.B. in history from Kenyon College, a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and a Ph.D. from Leiden University.
Summary
Responsibility of Bystanders and Enablers in Cases of Abuse
In a powerful and deeply personal presentation, Professor Amos Guiora of the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law offered a searing indictment of societal inaction in the face of abuse, focusing not only on perpetrators but especially on the enablers and bystanders who fail to intervene. Drawing on his extensive legal scholarship, military service, and personal family history as the child of Holocaust survivors, Guiora made the case that it is no longer enough to spotlight abusers—we must also hold accountable the institutions and individuals who allow abuse to continue.
Guiora leads the Bystander Initiative, a donor-funded, student-staffed effort that researches the legal and moral responsibilities of those who witness or know of abuse but do not act. His work gained national and international attention through two books: The Crime of Complicity: The Bystander in the Holocaust and Armies of Enablers: Survivor Stories of Complicity and Betrayal in Sexual Assault. In both, he analyzes how systemic silence and protection of institutions over individuals perpetuate cycles of abuse.
Guiora shared wrenching survivor testimonies from high-profile abuse cases involving USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, Ohio State physician Richard Strauss, and others. In each, the perpetrators were enabled by coaches, administrators, and institutional cultures that prioritized reputation and funding over the safety of children. Survivors like Tiffany Thomas and Maddie Larson described the pain not just of the abuse itself, but of the betrayal by those who could have stopped it and didn’t.
Guiora’s own obsession with this topic is rooted in his family’s Holocaust history. His mother survived in hiding in Budapest, his father endured two death marches. Guiora grew up in a household where the Holocaust was never discussed, and it wasn’t until his adult years that he began exploring the topic. The revelation that bystanders played a pivotal role in his parents’ trauma inspired his academic journey to explore the legal responsibility of witnesses to atrocities.
His central argument is bold: bystanders and enablers should be held criminally accountable. In Utah, he helped pass legislation making it a misdemeanor not to dial 911 when witnessing a child or elderly person in danger—a minimal but crucial step. His advocacy is now expanding to other states and countries, although legislation criminalizing enablers—those in authority who fail to act—is more complex and faces greater resistance.
Guiora distinguishes between bystanders (those physically present and passive) and enablers (those in institutional positions who protect perpetrators by prioritizing their institutions over victims). Enablers, he argues, are often more dangerous. They betray trust not through ignorance, but by making deliberate choices to shield institutions at the cost of human life and dignity.
He referenced the tragic case of Jeremy Bell, a 12-year-old murdered in 1997 by a teacher with a long record of sexual misconduct. School administrators had received repeated warnings over decades but took no action. Thanks to private detective Dan Barber, the case was eventually solved—but the enablers faced no consequences.
Guiora also addressed the issue of racial bias in reporting abuse, citing a poignant moment during a lecture at UVA when a Black audience member challenged the presumption that calling 911 is always safe or helpful, particularly for people of color. Guiora acknowledged the validity of this concern and worked with Utah legislators and civil rights groups to refine the law accordingly.
Throughout his talk, Guiora returned to the idea that legal accountability—not just moral reflection—is essential to changing behavior. While education and awareness are necessary, they are insufficient without laws that demand action and penalize failure.
His work is ongoing, and his message urgent: whether in schools, sports teams, religious institutions, or governments, we must stop protecting systems at the expense of the vulnerable. “All roads,” he said, “lead to the enabler.”
Guiora concluded by offering his email to attendees, encouraging further dialogue, and urging everyone to move beyond sympathy toward accountability. As he put it, “Sympathy is useless when someone is choking. You have to act.”
More on the Bystander Initiative
To follow up with Professor Guiora: amos.guiora@law.utah.edu
Learn more about contributing to the Bystander Initiative’s work.
Additional information on the Bystander Initiative: