RENO - When an act of violence (sexual assault, partner violence, or stalking) happens in our communities there is almost always a bystander who is in a position to notice a high risk behavior and potentially do something to help.
However, all too often, as bystanders we aren't sure what to do or how to do it. The Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence, the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, the University of Nevada, Reno, and various organizations throughout northern and rural Nevada are dedicated to changing this behavior by launching a violence prevention program called Green Dot.
Green Dot incorporates a community mobilization strategy that is designed to equip bystanders with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely and effectively intervene. Professionals across northern and rural Nevada are convening for four days (Sept. 24 - 27) on the University of Nevada, Reno campus to become certified Green Dot instructors.
They will return to their local communities to launch the Green Dot, etc. community mobilization strategy at schools, community centers, the university campus, and other organizations.
Sue Meuschke, executive director of NNADV, said that "Green Dot is designed to motivate bystanders to stop violence by helping them understand high risk situations, learn how to take their fears and turn them into positive action, and develop the skills to safely end an actual or potentially violent situation. A Green Dot is simply any individual action a person does to help keep our community safer."
Green Dot is a national research-based bystander intervention strategy developed by Dorothy J. Edwards, Ph.D.
"We're trying to shift community norms from a culture of inaction against violence to one where bystanders are active in preventing the escalation of a situation where someone could be hurt," Edwards said.
Edwards and her organization provide training and consultations across the country to colleges, schools, communities, state organizations, military installations, and government entities.
To learn more about Green Dot, visit www.livethegreendot.com.
The Green Dot Project is supported by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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