As a statewide coalition in the state of WA we were able to introduce Green Dot to our campuses beginning in fall 2009. Here at Central Washington University we've already seen a ton of buy in from students, staff, and faculty about this program. It's such a simple, manageable program that really renews hope of those of us that have been waiting for a true prevention program for at least the last 10 years. Students at our institution are constantly thinkingn of new ways we can market this to incoming students, and communicate to them that our campus standard is to add green dots to our map, and stand up for others around us. Having the chance to take Green Dot international would be absolutely groundbreaking for the entire human race.
I live in California and we have some of the largest and oldest gangs in the country. I would like to know about Green Dot and how I can use it. We need a community norm change NOW!
Hi Hewitt. We have some folks out of Chicago that are applying Green Dot concepts to their work with gang violence. The basic principles and concepts are designed to adapt to any population - and within the train the instructor are specific steps in the adaptation process. The simplified summary is to simply ask of any target population: (1) What are the red dots we want them to cue to, (2) What are the green dots they can do, (3) What are the obstacles to action that need to be considered? Feel free to email me directly (Dorothy.Edwards3@uky.edu) for more info.
The simplicity and manageability are central to Green Dot. The fact is, most people agree that violence against women is "bad." But - we live in a world that bombards us with issues that demand our response and attention - so the thought of taking on one more "cause" simply overwhelms people. Our challenge as educators in this movement is to present violence prevention in a way that feels manageable to people. When they think about all the demands of daily life, they can realistically see themselves being able to do their small part to reduce violence.
I cannot even imagine how many people have been killed, or wish they had, due to domestic violence. I say wish they had because when you are deep in the thicket of abuse and there seems to be no end in sight death seems like an obvious choice. I know because I have been there. I hit the point where it was me or him. I didn't want to go to jail and don't feel that anyone deserves to be killed for being violent, that just continues the cycle. I do however feel that the violence has to stop. I agree completely with you that too many people look the other way and really could make a difference if they are willing to stand up and say "enough is enough!"
I'm curious now that this initiative has been out for awhile have you been successful? Are people stepping up and helping?
No better place to implement Green Dot than in high schools! We are in the process of implementing Green Dot and students are eager to buy in to the philosophy. They understand the need for an attitude/cultural change and are active in making the change in our community. Plus, these same students will be better prepared for college life after high school.
I'm really excited about working with this project! It has the potential to teach our kids some extremely important life lessons as well as remind us to be the compassionate and responsible community members we need to be.
I have had the opportunity to attend multiple Green Dot trainings and believe this strategy can significantly reduce violence. I have had my hope awakened and have watched people all over the country from college men to women who have been in the movement for over 30 years have the hope of possibility in them invigorated. It is imperative for there to be an opportunity to see if the same principles could ignite change around the world.
One of the key components of Green Dot is the concept of meeting people where they are. I think one of the reasons we have had such success with men is that the only point of agreement we insist on is the notion that "violence against women is bad and I want to do my part to help stop it." It seems obvious, but historically, we've asked men to redefine their masculinity, quit objectifying women, and work through all their victim-blaming attitudes. While we certainly want all those things to happen eventually in cultures around the world - if we predicate intervening in a single high risk situation on all of those fundamental changes - the body count will simply continue to rise.
Your dear mother keeps me up to date and I'm very impressed with what you're doing--it sounds so meaningful. I spent quite a bit of time filling out the Changemakers membership form online and I've tried to find where to vote for your organization. Please be so kind as to direct me to the place to vote so I can cast one for YOU! Thanks so much.
Ann - Thank you so much for supporting Green Dot! Voting can be a bit confusing. Try these steps:
1. Go to http://www.changemakers.com/
2. Create a log-in for yourself.
3. Go to the "competitions" link along the top, then scroll down to the one entitled "Preventing violence against women"
4. Scroll down a bit, and you'll see an "entries" tab. After you hit that tab, you'll see a listing of all the entries, including one entitled, "Ending Violence...One Green Dot at a Time"
5. Click on that entry (that's the one that's ours).
6. Then, on the right of the entry, you will see a box called "Take action"
7. Within that box, click the "vote for this entry" button
8. Within the "take action box" - you can also start some discussion, share some comments, and/or share the entry with a friend.
I work with women who are abused and left homeless with their children. We need to start teaching children in GRADE school what abuse is and how to step in and stop it one child at a time. Prevention must be taught at the earliest ages.
We must empower older women with green dot. There are those who have the ability and time to educate their piers in the power of the green dot to change what is acceptable treatment of women of all ages.Many have just accepted abuse as a way of life. GREEN DOT MUST BE SHARED WITH ALL WOMEN OF ALL AGES. WE MUST STOP THE VIOLENCE BEFOR IT STARTS. PREVENTION IS THE ONLY REAL OPTION WE HAVE.
Thus far, Green Dot has been adapted for high school students and older. With a bit more time and development, we are hoping to have Green Dot adapted and developmentally appropriate for younger kids. If we can shift the lens from violence against women being a "women's issue" or a "men's issue" - to being a "human issue" that everyone has some responsibility for - and we can make this shift beginning in elementary school - we are going to have the necessary foundation for the culture change we need! One of the specific elements of Green Dot asks that individuals make their impact within their current sphere of influence. The fact is, we have the greatest ability to really influece the behavioral choices of those that are closest to us. If we all just influenced our best friends and family - maybe our church group or bowling team - those bystanders willing to do their green dots would multiply exponentially.
i am a high school senior (dont confuse me with the dorothy edwards who created green dot.. same name, different person) and i see too many of my peers be exposed to violence by this age, whether it was a personal experience not. my best friend was sexually assaulted as a junior in highschool. we have to start putting green dot in highschools so we can get these numbers down! too many of my peers have been raped or know someone that has been raped in highschool. if we keep waiting till kids are in college to start teaching them about green dot, its too late for alot of them.. including me.
Just watched the video for this entry and was very impressed with how motivating your call to action is. While this particular training is focused on the college community, it helps me reinforce the message to my kids that are in middle school and high school that standing by and watching something happen that you know is wrong is like you are particpating in the behavior. If they can't speak up on their own, at least get an adult to help them--they CAN make a difference. Perhaps if Green Dot makes its way to the high schools, the red dots on college campuses (and everywhere)will become fewer and fewer. Bravo on your efforts and good luck!
Hi Paula - thanks for the encouraging words! Green Dot actually is in high schools across the country. We are particularly excited because we were recently granted a significant CDC 5 year research grant that is evaluating the potential impact of Green Dot in high schools across the state of Kentucky. As the data guides, we hope to make an impact, not only at the high school level, but eventually in middle schools and below as well!
Comments
As a statewide coalition in the state of WA we were able to introduce Green Dot to our campuses beginning in fall 2009. Here at Central Washington University we've already seen a ton of buy in from students, staff, and faculty about this program. It's such a simple, manageable program that really renews hope of those of us that have been waiting for a true prevention program for at least the last 10 years. Students at our institution are constantly thinkingn of new ways we can market this to incoming students, and communicate to them that our campus standard is to add green dots to our map, and stand up for others around us. Having the chance to take Green Dot international would be absolutely groundbreaking for the entire human race.
I live in California and we have some of the largest and oldest gangs in the country. I would like to know about Green Dot and how I can use it. We need a community norm change NOW!
Hi Hewitt. We have some folks out of Chicago that are applying Green Dot concepts to their work with gang violence. The basic principles and concepts are designed to adapt to any population - and within the train the instructor are specific steps in the adaptation process. The simplified summary is to simply ask of any target population: (1) What are the red dots we want them to cue to, (2) What are the green dots they can do, (3) What are the obstacles to action that need to be considered? Feel free to email me directly (Dorothy.Edwards3@uky.edu) for more info.
The simplicity and manageability are central to Green Dot. The fact is, most people agree that violence against women is "bad." But - we live in a world that bombards us with issues that demand our response and attention - so the thought of taking on one more "cause" simply overwhelms people. Our challenge as educators in this movement is to present violence prevention in a way that feels manageable to people. When they think about all the demands of daily life, they can realistically see themselves being able to do their small part to reduce violence.
I cannot even imagine how many people have been killed, or wish they had, due to domestic violence. I say wish they had because when you are deep in the thicket of abuse and there seems to be no end in sight death seems like an obvious choice. I know because I have been there. I hit the point where it was me or him. I didn't want to go to jail and don't feel that anyone deserves to be killed for being violent, that just continues the cycle. I do however feel that the violence has to stop. I agree completely with you that too many people look the other way and really could make a difference if they are willing to stand up and say "enough is enough!"
I'm curious now that this initiative has been out for awhile have you been successful? Are people stepping up and helping?
No better place to implement Green Dot than in high schools! We are in the process of implementing Green Dot and students are eager to buy in to the philosophy. They understand the need for an attitude/cultural change and are active in making the change in our community. Plus, these same students will be better prepared for college life after high school.
I'm really excited about working with this project! It has the potential to teach our kids some extremely important life lessons as well as remind us to be the compassionate and responsible community members we need to be.
I have had the opportunity to attend multiple Green Dot trainings and believe this strategy can significantly reduce violence. I have had my hope awakened and have watched people all over the country from college men to women who have been in the movement for over 30 years have the hope of possibility in them invigorated. It is imperative for there to be an opportunity to see if the same principles could ignite change around the world.
One of the key components of Green Dot is the concept of meeting people where they are. I think one of the reasons we have had such success with men is that the only point of agreement we insist on is the notion that "violence against women is bad and I want to do my part to help stop it." It seems obvious, but historically, we've asked men to redefine their masculinity, quit objectifying women, and work through all their victim-blaming attitudes. While we certainly want all those things to happen eventually in cultures around the world - if we predicate intervening in a single high risk situation on all of those fundamental changes - the body count will simply continue to rise.
Dear Jen,
Your dear mother keeps me up to date and I'm very impressed with what you're doing--it sounds so meaningful. I spent quite a bit of time filling out the Changemakers membership form online and I've tried to find where to vote for your organization. Please be so kind as to direct me to the place to vote so I can cast one for YOU! Thanks so much.
Fondly,
Ann Moore
Ann - Thank you so much for supporting Green Dot! Voting can be a bit confusing. Try these steps:
1. Go to http://www.changemakers.com/
2. Create a log-in for yourself.
3. Go to the "competitions" link along the top, then scroll down to the one entitled "Preventing violence against women"
4. Scroll down a bit, and you'll see an "entries" tab. After you hit that tab, you'll see a listing of all the entries, including one entitled, "Ending Violence...One Green Dot at a Time"
5. Click on that entry (that's the one that's ours).
6. Then, on the right of the entry, you will see a box called "Take action"
7. Within that box, click the "vote for this entry" button
8. Within the "take action box" - you can also start some discussion, share some comments, and/or share the entry with a friend.
I work with women who are abused and left homeless with their children. We need to start teaching children in GRADE school what abuse is and how to step in and stop it one child at a time. Prevention must be taught at the earliest ages.
We must empower older women with green dot. There are those who have the ability and time to educate their piers in the power of the green dot to change what is acceptable treatment of women of all ages.Many have just accepted abuse as a way of life. GREEN DOT MUST BE SHARED WITH ALL WOMEN OF ALL AGES. WE MUST STOP THE VIOLENCE BEFOR IT STARTS. PREVENTION IS THE ONLY REAL OPTION WE HAVE.
Thus far, Green Dot has been adapted for high school students and older. With a bit more time and development, we are hoping to have Green Dot adapted and developmentally appropriate for younger kids. If we can shift the lens from violence against women being a "women's issue" or a "men's issue" - to being a "human issue" that everyone has some responsibility for - and we can make this shift beginning in elementary school - we are going to have the necessary foundation for the culture change we need! One of the specific elements of Green Dot asks that individuals make their impact within their current sphere of influence. The fact is, we have the greatest ability to really influece the behavioral choices of those that are closest to us. If we all just influenced our best friends and family - maybe our church group or bowling team - those bystanders willing to do their green dots would multiply exponentially.
i am a high school senior (dont confuse me with the dorothy edwards who created green dot.. same name, different person) and i see too many of my peers be exposed to violence by this age, whether it was a personal experience not. my best friend was sexually assaulted as a junior in highschool. we have to start putting green dot in highschools so we can get these numbers down! too many of my peers have been raped or know someone that has been raped in highschool. if we keep waiting till kids are in college to start teaching them about green dot, its too late for alot of them.. including me.
lets put green dot in our highschools!!
Just watched the video for this entry and was very impressed with how motivating your call to action is. While this particular training is focused on the college community, it helps me reinforce the message to my kids that are in middle school and high school that standing by and watching something happen that you know is wrong is like you are particpating in the behavior. If they can't speak up on their own, at least get an adult to help them--they CAN make a difference. Perhaps if Green Dot makes its way to the high schools, the red dots on college campuses (and everywhere)will become fewer and fewer. Bravo on your efforts and good luck!
Hi Paula - thanks for the encouraging words! Green Dot actually is in high schools across the country. We are particularly excited because we were recently granted a significant CDC 5 year research grant that is evaluating the potential impact of Green Dot in high schools across the state of Kentucky. As the data guides, we hope to make an impact, not only at the high school level, but eventually in middle schools and below as well!
Dear Dorothy and Green Dot,
I am heartened by the work you are doing on domestic violence and am particularly impressed by the clear and thoughtful presentation of your idea!
Good luck!
Will Muir
Email me
Visit our website
Visit our Changemakers page