KNOW THE GREEN DOT
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Green Dot Kentucky is a community level approach to violence prevention that capitalizes on the power of peer and cultural influence. Informed by social change theory, the model targets all community members as potential bystanders, and seeks to engage them, through awareness, education and skills-practice, in proactive behaviors that establish intolerance of violence as the norm, as well as reactive interventions in high-risk situations – resulting in the ultimate reduction of violence. In addition to a broad-based social movement, the program proposes to target socially influential individuals from groups across the Commonwealth – from educators to politicians, from healthcare providers to business owners, from media to non-profits. The goal is for these community leaders to engage in a basic education program that will equip them to integrate moments of prevention within existing relationships and daily activities. By doing so, new norms will be introduced and those within their sphere of influence will be significantly influenced to become proactively involved.
The Green Dot Kentucky Violence Prevention Plan will consist of three phases.
1. Phase one will involve an extensive train-the-trainers component of key individuals and organizations from across the state. A rigorous training plan will be implemented with partnering agencies across the state that equips key personnel from each center to effectively plan and implement a Green Dot Prevention Program within their community.
2. Phase two will entail rolling out a state-wide Green Dot awareness campaign. This awareness campaign will be utilized to introduce the state to the concept of “Everyone doing his/her own little green dot” to make our state safer for all citizens. It will begin the process of actively engaging bystanders in making their contribution to safety and violence prevention.
3. Phase three will involve targeted training in the bystander model of prevention. This training will build upon the initial green dot awareness campaign, but will be more extensive. Individuals and groups will self-identify or individual centers will identify groups within their community to target for the training (i.e., legislators, high-school students, elementary school teachers, the business sector, faith-based groups, etc.). Trained groups will then be equipped to (1) proactively and reactively respond to situations at high risk for power-based personal violence, (2) establish cultural norms supporting active involvement in prevention efforts, and (3) model and engage involvement from those within their sector.
Justification
The extent and nature of power-based personal violence (sexual violence, partner violence, stalking and child abuse) in the United States is widely documented. read more>.
Scientific Basis
A review of the literature within the field of violence against women suggests that little has been done that has resulted in effective, measurable, broad-scale prevention. read more>.
Diffusion of Innovation / Social Diffusion Theory.