Ending Violence... One Green Dot at a Time

A green dot is any choice, behavior, word or attitude that promotes safety for everyone and communicates utter intolerance for power based personal violence in our University of Dayton community. A green dot is anything you do to make our community safer.

Green dots can be PROACTIVE or REACTIVE.

Proactive Green Dots: Little things you do to make it less likely that violence, or a red dot, will ever happen. This could include you having a conversation with a friend about your stance against violence, wearing green dot gear, or posting an update on social media that violence is not acceptable in the UD community.

Reactive Green Dots: The choices you make in response to a situation that you think might be high risk or might eventually lead to something high risk. This could include you stepping in when you notice something not quite right in the student neighborhood, walking a friend home when they've had too much to drink to be sure they make it home safely, or telling a friend to back off when you know the other person is not interested. Reactive green dots come in the form of the 3D's: Direct, Distract, and Delegate. A direct green dot occurs when you handle the situation with confrontation. Distracting is changing the conversation and the energy of the interaction by distracting them with something else (dancing, a problem, food, bathroom break, etc). Delegating is finding someone else who you feel will be more successful in fixing the problem (bar tender, other friends, Public Safety, etc).

GREEN DOT EXAMPLES

Everyone can do green dots - no matter who you are, where you live, what you like, or what you do. The list of possible green dots is endless! Here are just a few green dot suggestions.

No one has to do everything, but everyone has to do something. Which green dot will you do?

Green Dots for Those Too Busy to Do Green Dots

• Hang a Green Dot poster on your room or office door.
• Send a mass e-mail to your contact list with a simple message like, "This issue is important to me and I believe in the goal of reducing violence on campus."
• Change your e-mail signature line to include the statement, "Proud to be a supporter of Green Dot" and include the link to University of Dayton's Green Dot website.
• Donate to a local rape crisis center or domestic violence shelter and write "Supporter of Green Dot" in the memo line.
• Next time you are walking to class with a friend or taking a lunch break with a co-worker, have one conversation about Green Dot and tell your friend that ending violence matters to you.
• Add the phrase "supporter of Green Dot; ending violence one Green Dot at a time" to your Facebook or Twitter account.
• Make one announcement to one group or organization you are involved in, telling them about Green Dot.
• Write a paper or do a class assignment on violence prevention.
• Wear a Green Dot button and be willing to explain Green Dot to anyone who asks.

Green Dots for Everyone

• Believe that rape, abuse, and stalking are unacceptable and say it out loud.
• Have conversations about ending violence with your friends and family.
• Wear green dot gear.
• Add "green dot supporter" to your e-mail signature.
• Get someone else to intervene if you can't.
• Be a knowledgeable resource for victims.
• Attend violence prevention events.
• Make a contribution or volunteer for your local service provider.
• Check in with your friends if you are concerned about their safety and get them connected to local resources for help.

Green Dots for Men

• Ask a man in your life about the impact personal violence has had on him or on someone he cares about.
• Ask one male friend or relative what he thinks about power-based personal violence and what men could do to help stop it.
• Understand that men can experience sexual violence, too.
• Tell a woman in your life that conquering power-based personal violence matters to you.
• Ask women in your life about the impact power-based personal violence has had on them.
• Ask a woman in your life what you can do to help take a stand against violence.
• Have one conversation with one male friend or relative about Green Dot.
• Visit the Jackson Katz website and read "10 Things Men Can Do To End Gender Violence."
• Have a conversation with a younger man or boy who looks up to you about how important it is for men to help end violence.
• If you suspect someone you care about is a victim of violence, gently ask if you can help.
• Google "Men Against Violence" and read what men around the country are doing.
• Look out for friends in places where alcohol is served to ensure that everyone arrives and leaves together (not alone).
• Create a fund-raiser for University of Dayton Green Dot or a local organization that works to address violence.
• With two male friends, attend a program or event designed to raise awareness about violence.

Green Dots for Women

• Ask 5 people in your life how power-based personal violence has impacted them (directly or indirectly) and listen to their response.
• Think about the women in your life that you care most about, and consider that they have 1 in 3 odds of becoming victims of violence in their lifetime.
• Educate yourself about the impact of violence on victims and those who love them.
• Talk to other students who care. Ask them to tell you why they are into it.
• If you suspect someone you care about is a victim of violence, gently ask if you can help.
• Have one conversation with one male friend or relative about Green Dot.
• Take a friend to lunch and talk about how this issue is important to you and ask for their help.
• Always use the buddy system and make sure everyone gets home safe after a night out.

Green Dots for Faculty

• Get training on the warning signs of potential abuse or violence, and respond when you see them.
• Include a statement on your course syllabus that expresses support for victims of violence and intolerance of all forms of violence.
• Where appropriate, bring educational programming on interpersonal violence to your classes.
• Where appropriate, include topics in your classes that address prevention and intervention of partner violence, sexual assault, stalking and bullying.
• Make it clear to your students that if they are dealing with violence, you are a safe person to approach for support and referrals.
• Become familiar with campus and community resources, and make referrals if needed.
• Consider conducting research that furthers our understanding of violence prevention.
• Assign readings or papers or journal topics on the issue of power-based personal violence.
• Talk with faculty colleagues about the importance of prevention.

Green Dots for Staff/Administrators

• Recognize risk factors associated with violence and ensure that faculty, staff and students are provided with adequate policy and training to respond.
• Ensure adequate funding for prevention and intervention efforts.
• Talk with colleagues about your personal commitment to violence prevention and Green Dot.
• Integrate references to the Green Dot initiative and the importance of violence prevention into speeches and public addresses.
• Educate yourself and your staff about sexual violence, intimate partner violence, stalking and abuse.
• Bring Green Dot training to your next staff meeting or in-service.
• Ensure that you have effective policies in place to assure safety in the workplace and support victims of violence.

Proactive Green Dots

• Wear or display a Green Dot button, T-shirt, sticker, lanyard, or keychain one day this week, and explain to at least one person what it means.
• Talk to a male friend of yours about the importance of men getting involved in violence prevention.
• Attend the next Green Dot Bystander Training.
• Recommend to 2-3 of your friends that they attend the next Green Dot Bystander Training.
• Bring a friend to an awareness event.
• Put a Green Dot on your team uniform, and explain what it is at halftime or in fliers that attendees get when they come to the game.
• Write an article or letter to the editor of Flyer News expressing your opinion about violence-prevention efforts and/or student involvement.
• Write a paper about sexual assault, bullying, partner violence, or stalking in one of your classes to inform yourself about the problem.
• Spend 15 minutes online learning about power-based personal violence experienced by college students.
• Ask a Green Dot presenter to come to your class or group/team meeting to explain how you and your classmates/teammates can become active bystanders in violence prevention.
• Talk to a leader in a student organization that you are involved in and recommend that the membership take the Green Dot Bystander Training.
• Talk to a female friend about the importance of women getting involved in violence prevention.
• Post a message on Facebook about a Green Dot you did, a training you attended, or any other statement of support.
• Write out your own personal connection to power-based personal violence (perhaps you or someone you care about has been negatively affected by it). Share this with someone in your life this week.