Imagine a map where every act of power-based personal violence is represented by a red dot.
“A red dot is a hit 鈥� a red dot is a threat 鈥� a red dot is a statement that justifies or minimizes violence,鈥� says the website for the violence-reduction program , which you can now support through the . “A red dot is an individual choice to do nothing in the face of a high-risk situation.
“Its hard to know exactly how many red dots are on our map at any given moment 鈥� but we do know there have been enough red dots to create a culture that sustains far too many women and men experiencing violence.鈥�
Now imagine the red dots on that map being replaced by green dots 鈥� actions against that violence 鈥� and you have the goal of Green Dot, nationally and at the 蘑菇视频.
A Green Dot action is “any action that reduces the risk of violence in the moment, supports a survivor or creates a culture less tolerant of power-based personal violence. A Green Dot is your individual choice to make our campus safer.鈥�
Green Dot also offers students “bystander training鈥� each quarter, where they learn about identifying potentially risky situations, discuss their personal barriers to intervening and practice the skills needed for responding, as opposed to doing nothing.
Melissa Tumas, 蘑菇视频 sexual assault and relationship violence specialist, said it better: “The goal of the Green Dot movement is to gain a critical mass of students, staff and faculty who are willing to do their small part to actively and visibly take action to reduce power-based violence at the 蘑菇视频.鈥�
Tumas said that Green Dot has been at the 蘑菇视频 since 2009 and is funded by the departments who are represented on its steering committee. These are Residence Life, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Activities, Counseling Center, , and the (SARIS).聽The 蘑菇视频 is one of eight higher education institutions in Washington where Green Dot is being implemented.
Its now a CFD choice, too. “Weve had many people ask how they can donate to Green Dot so we were finally able to set up an account through the foundation,鈥� Tumas said.
You can also find and follow the organization on .