At a glance
Green Dot is a program that asks its participants to imagine a map of their community, and how every time there is an instance of interpersonal or sexual violence, a Red Dot would be placed on the area in which that occurred.
Having learned earlier this year of the impact that the Green Dot Bystander Intervention Initiative can have on preventing interpersonal or sexual violence, a group of Alfred State and Alfred University employees recently came together to share the initiative with nearly four dozen members of the village community.
On Sept. 20, 47 community members gathered at the Terra Cotta Coffee House for a two-hour training on the Green Dot Bystander Intervention Initiative. In attendance were several members of each of the Alfred State-recognized Greek organizations, as well as employees of GJ’s, Alex’s, Zippy’s, BB Shenanigan’s, and AE Crandall Hook and Ladder Company.
Green Dot is a program that asks its participants to imagine a map of their community, and how every time there is an instance of interpersonal or sexual violence, a Red Dot would be placed on the area in which that occurred.
However, whenever a bystander intervenes in these situations or takes proactive measures to prevent these actions from occurring, each Red Dot is then replaced with a Green Dot. The goal of the program when employed is - and has been statistically proven successful - to reduce violence within that community.
In early January, four employees from Alfred State and six from Alfred University had gathered together at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) for a four-day Green Dot Bystander Intervention Initiative Train-the-Trainer workshop. These bystander trainings were made possible thanks to an existing federal Centers for Disease Control and Rape Prevention and Education Program grant. All SUNY campuses were eligible to participate at no cost to the school.
Both Alfred colleges then implemented separate, but similar programs on each campus. According to Alfred State Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator Nikkie Hockenberry, “it soon became evident that the only place that was left unaffected by this program was the actual village that houses all of the students late at night and on weekends, where harmful incidents were more likely to occur, or at least begin, during these times.” She then came up with the “It Takes a Village” effort.
“It seemed like a natural partnership between the two colleges,” she said. “We are all so committed to the safety of our students, and in talking to the business owners, we all have a common goal, and in order to reach it, it really does take a village. I was thrilled with the turnout from this small community; it’s the best part about living and working in Alfred, that level of involvement. We are really an amazing community and this only further demonstrates that.”
During the community-oriented event at the Terra Cotta, Green Dot trainers Cody Herman and Hockenberry from Alfred State and Amanda Khodorkovskaya and Steve Smith from Alfred University walked participants through a scenario-based training in which they were given tools on how to safely and effectively intervene in situations where there was potential for a harmful outcome to occur.
Participants were able to dialogue about these situations and develop strategies based upon their comfort level, in which they could insert themselves into the situation to potentially change the outcome of the incident, with the common goal of keeping members of the Alfred community safe.
Participant Jack Azueta, brother of Pi Rho Zeta, said, “It was an awesome experience going through Green Dot. I now see things from a different perspective. I will use what I have learned to protect and prevent occurrences that might happen in the future."
Less than a week after the training was held, the effects were being felt in the community. GJ’s Manager Jade DellaPenna, who was present, along with several of her employees, noted an immediate change in the local nightlife.
“The Green Dot training has helped our staff find confidence in our methods, as well as garner enthusiasm in our efforts,” she said. “Preventing interpersonal or sexual violence has always been an uphill battle, and we are grateful for the community and campuses to work together on such a crucial issue.”
As part of an ongoing outreach effort, local Greek houses and businesses will be providing numbers and stories of their Green Dots on a monthly basis to Hockenberry and Herman, which will then be logged and shared with the community.
To learn more about the Green Dot Program, visit https://www.livethegreendot.com/. For more on the “It Takes a Village” Initiative, please contact Hockenberry at hockennr@alfredstate.edu.