MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University will commemorate the launch of its Green Dot program, an initiative to educate individuals about ways to reduce violence, with Green Dot Launch Week, Feb. 15-20.

Green Dot is federally supported bystander intervention program intended to help reduce incidents of stalking, partner violence and sexual assault. The initiative is based on a national violence-prevention strategy that advocates for community playing a key role in motivating a non-violent culture, and creating a safe campus.

“Green Dot is about preventing violence by encouraging people to be bystanders and helping people realize that they have power to intervene through their actions,” said Danielle Koonce, who joined Northwest’s Wellness Services staff in August to serve as the University’s Green Dot coordinator.

As Koonce explains, think about a map of Northwest that includes a single red dot. That red dot represents a small moment in time when one person makes a choice to harm someone with their words, behaviors or actions. If those red dots multiply, a culture is created that allows unacceptable rates of violence.

Green dots, however, represent small moments when individuals instead uses their words, behaviors or actions to try to stop red dots. A green dot is created from an action as simple as providing someone a safe ride home or checking in with a friend because of an uncomfortable situation.

If each community member contributed to just one green dot, Koonce says, the image of that Northwest map changes from a series of red dots to green dots.

“Green Dot can act in people’s lives in whatever way works for them,” Koonce said. “Green Dot’s slogan is ‘no one has to do everything, but everyone has to do something’.”

Community members also can participate. Individuals can create a distraction and diffuse a situation, directly intervene, or delegate to a friend or person nearby.

“People have more power than they realize,” Koonce said. “This is an opportunity for students to set the norms of safety in their community. Green Dot is not one individual or one organization, but a community effort.”

The project is supported cooperatively by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and it is funded completely with federal dollars.

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