No one has to do everything, but EVERYONE has to do something.

DIRECT

This bystander intervention method is most effective when you feel comfortable getting involved yourself. Examples include:

  • Are you okay?
  • I think you need to cool off.
  • Chill out.
  • Stop.
  • I’m concerned.

DELEGATE

Sometimes, it’s easier to intervene when you have help from friends or emergency services. Use this bystander method with some of these actions:

  • Get a friend who is more comfortable to intervene
  • Get help from a trusted adult
  • Leave an anonymous note for a teacher
  • Call 911 in private

DISTRACT

This option is great when you don’t want to seem involved. Causing a distraction may shift the focus enough to keep people safe. For example:

  • “Accidentally” set off your car alarm
  • Say, “I’m so sorry to bother y’all, but can you tell me what time it is?”
  • Freak out like there’s a bug on you
  • Spill your drink, drop your backpack, or pretend to fall
  • Honk your horn
  • Post distracting, funny comments instead
  • “Accidentally” turn on the lights or stop the music

What is Green Dot...
  • Green Dot is an active bystander approach to Violence Prevention. The Green Dot strategy is based on the premise that the greatest power lies in the bystander – each one of us. Through our choices and actions we can define our norms and ultimately decide what we will and will not accept in our schools and our community.
  • Red Dot is a single moment in time when someone uses power-based personal violence to harm someone else: dating violence, bullying, sexual violence, stalking or any type of abuse in our community.
  • We can prevent red dots with Green Dots. A green dot is a moment in time where someone uses their words, actions, attitudes or other choices to stop a high-risk situation from getting worse, or to promote a general intolerance for violence. It is a choice to be involved in keeping your school or community safe.
  • Doing green dots makes our spaces inhospitable to power-based personal violence. When we all do our part, we measurably reduce the violence occurring all around us!
#DoSomething
of teenagers report knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or physically hurt by their partner.
of teenage girls who have been in relationships reveal they have been pressured to perform oral sex or engage in intercourse
of teenage girls in a relationship report enduring repeated verbal abuse
of teens regard verbal abuse as a ‘serious issue’ for their age group
Green Dot Resources...

Refuge House proudly implements Green Dot, a comprehensive approach to violence prevention that uses the power of peer influence to promote culture change and reduce power-based personal violence. Currently based in two Leon County schools, the Green Dot Refuge House model targets students, parents, staff and community members as potential bystanders. These stakeholders are taught proactive behaviors that establish intolerance of violence as the norm and reactive interventions that aid in the ultimate reduction of violence in high-risk situations.

This program incorporates into its training: group and individual activities, team competitions, workbook activities, group discussions and role playing. The overall goal of Green Dot is to turn acts or potential acts of violence (red dots) into moments of prevention through proactive or reactive actions (green dots) to symbolize a culture that no longer tolerates violence.

Various organizations across the country and throughout Florida implement the Green Dot Strategy in high schools, colleges and communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded a five-year study to evaluate Green Dot in High School across Kentucky.  The study examined bystander intervention in 26 high schools over five years and confirms that Green Dot for High Schools reduces rates of sexual abuse, dating violence, stalking, and other interpersonal violence by statistically significant percentages. The study results were published in 2017 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

May

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June

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July

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August

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New Year, New You!

HI FRIENDS!! This January is Green Dot Awareness Month! The beginning of the year is the perfect time to start reflecting and setting goals for yourself. Ever heard of a New Year’s resolution? Well it’s time to set yours. As always, ours is to add more Green Dots to our map! We can’t fulfill our…

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November is Action Event Month

Hey, Green Dotters! It’s November, and the holiday season is approaching FAST. We know just how hectic this time of year can get. You may be constantly making plans with friends and family, you may be finding time to find the perfect gift, or you may have travel plans that are keeping you on your…

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Back to School!

After soaking up the summer sun, embracing the “no homework” life, and spending some extra time with your friends, we’re officially in back-to-school mode! The new school year brings new experiences, new friendships, and new opportunities for you to be a positive force in your school, home, and community! So you’ve been working that summer…

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How to Report Bullying on Social Media

Social Media businesses are governed by the laws of the country in which they are head-quartered, but they are also expected to comply with local laws where they operate. Most Social Media sites have a reporting system in place aimed at flagging inappropriate content, however, they do come under a lot of criticism for not…

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Need more information? Contact Us.

Please call 850-681-2111 and ask for Green Dot, or email receptionist@refugehouse.com.

If trapped in an abusive relationship, 73% said they would turn to a friend for help; but only 33% who have been in or known about an abusive relationship said they have told anyone about it.

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