By Stephanie Snyder
Green Dot is a violence prevention program that focuses on bystander training. North Central College is one of the many college’s in the nation to be a Green Dot Campus.
Green dots grace every imaginable surface on campus. Students noticed Green Dot chalk marks scribbled on the sidewalks as they rushed to and from class,
Green Dot stickers on glass doors and windows in campus buildings and residence halls, and a Green Dot statement with their professor’s signature at the end of their emails.
Carin Silkaitis, assistant professor of theatre and green dot team leader for education at the College, ends her emails with, “No one has to do everything. Everyone has to do something…What’s your GREEN DOT?”
Professor Silkaitis said, “I’m totally comfortable with going up to someone and saying ‘Stop what you’re doing’ but there’s a lot of people who are not like that. They would feel uncomfortable with intervening in a high-risk situation like that. Green Dot gives you tools at whatever comfort level you have to intervene.”
“They teach you two different kinds of green dots and they teach you three different ways to react and it works for anyone. That’s what’s so great about the program,” said Professor Silkaitis.
The Green Dot Program focuses on getting people to understand that they have two choices when presented with a high-risk situation: they can either do something or they can do nothing. The goal is to recognize that there is no neutral option. Bystanders have to make a choice.
Professor Silkaitis said, “Green Dot is also saying that no matter who you are, no matter what your beliefs are, if you believe that violence is bad participate in this program. It’s super inclusive.“
If someone decides to choose to do something there are two types of green dots: proactive and reactive.
“Proactive green dots are things like putting something on my [email]signature, learning about it, attending bystander training, or writing a column about Green Dot. Reactive green dots have three points: direct, distract, and delegate,” Professor Silkaitis said.
Direct would be calling attention to the high-risk situation and asking what is going on. Distract would be creating a separate situation; to pull the individuals involved in the high-risk situation away from each other. That would diffuse the problem. The other option is to delegate, which would be going to someone like Campus Safety to take care of the problem.
The Green Dot program wants college campus’ aware of how they can get bystanders to act in a smart safe way. Rather than choosing to do nothing (claiming you’re remaining “neutral”) people can do something that can make a difference. What’s your green dot?
Green Dot bystander training lets you practice the skills described in the article above.
Please contact the following for further information:
- Kimberly Sluis- Assistant Dean of Students
- Carin Silkaitis- Green Dot Team Leader
- Andrew Pettee- Green Dot Team Leader
- Sarah Avery- Green Dot Team Leader
Future Bystander Trainings:
Sunday, November 3rd 12-8 p.m.
Sunday, December 8th 12-8 p.m.
(Lunch provided)
