Overview of Green Dot

Green Dot is a national program built on the premise that everyone can measurably and systematically reduce violence within any given community. This program focuses fundamentally on the productive power of bystanders, on the those of us who witness power-based violence between others. In instances of harmful or violent words, actions, or behaviors, bystanders have a choice to ignore & accept the abuse (what we call a "red dot") or intervene & address the violence (a "green dot"). Green Dot’s goal is to prepare communities to implement a strategy of violence prevention that reduces power-based personal violence, which includes sexual violence, relationship violence, stalking, and bullying. We will build a community equipped to intervene in these red dot incidents to create a campus map full of green dots, full of proactive moments that declare we will not accept power-based personal violence. 

The power of Green Dot is simple. Red dots bad. Green dots good. You decide.

What are Green Dots? 

A green dot is any choice, behavior, word or attitude that promotes safety for everyone and communicates utter intolerance for power based personal violence in our University of North Texas community. A green dot is anything you do to make our community safer.

Green dots are divided into two categories: proactive and reactive. Proactive green dots are things people can do to prevent power-based personal violence from happening; reactive green dots are things people can do to intervene in a red dot situation. You may find examples of proactive and reactive green dots below.

Proactive Green Dots:

• Attend the next Green Dot Bystander Training
• Have conversations about ending power-based personal violence with your friends
• Wear a green dot button one day this week, and explain to at least one person what it means
• Do a paper or assignment on power-based personal violence prevention
• Attend power-based personal violence prevention events
• Believe that power-based personal violence is unacceptable and say it out loud
• Bring an education program to your class, group, team or organization
• Volunteer with your local service providers, such as Denton County Friends of the Family
• Put green dot information on your social media pages and your email signature line
• Talk about green dots to one new person each week
• Recommend to 2 of your friends that they attend the next Green Dot Bystander Training
• Put a Green Dot on your team uniform, and explain what it is at halftime or in fliers that attendees get when they come to the game
• Write an article or letter to the editor of the NT Daily expressing your opinion about violence-prevention efforts and/or student involvement
• Talk to your friends about the importance of getting involved in violence prevention
• Post a message on social media about a Green Dot you did, a training you attended, or any other statement of support.
• Share statistics with friends about power-based personal violence

Reactive Green Dots:

• If I suspect that my friend has been drugged, I seek professional help.
• If I suspect that my friend is in an abusive relationship, I provide them with information about resources available
• If I suspect a friend has been sexually assaulted, I let them know I am here if they want to talk.
• If I hear someone yelling and fighting, I call 911
• If I see someone spike another person’s drink, I stop them and call police or get someone else to
• If I see a friend or stranger grab, push or insult another person, I say something, go get help or get someone else to
• If someone appears upset, I ask if they are okay
• If I notice someone has a large bruise, I ask how they were hurt
• If I know or suspect that a friend is in an abusive relationship (physically, sexually, or emotionally), I tell them they can confide in me
• If someone needs my help and I don’t have the answer, I tap my resources and find someone who does
• If I see someone at a party who has had too much to drink, I ask them if they need to be walked home so they can go to sleep
• If someone is being shoved at, I ask them if they needs help.
• If someone is being harassed by others, I ask them if they need help.
• If I hear what sounds like yelling through my dorm walls, I knock on the door to see if everything is okay
• If I hear what sounds like fighting through my apartment walls, I call the apartment’s security
• I will say something to a person whose drink I saw spiked with a drug even if I didn’t know them.
• Call a rape crisis center for help if a friend, acquaintance, or stranger told me they were sexually assaulted
• Confront friends who make excuses for abusive behavior by other
• If I see a couple in a heated argument, I ask if everything is ok

What are Red Dots?

Red Dots
We know that every day, people are victims of power-based personal violence. Stories of this type of violence inundate our televisions, phones, and news feeds. Each incident hurts all of us. These acts of violence are like red dots covering a map, much like an epidemic spreading out of control if not stopped. Categories of red dots that are the focus of Green Dot are explained below.

Definitions

Power-Based Personal Violence:
A form of violence that has as a primary motivator the assertion of power, control and/or intimidation in order to harm another. This includes partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, bullying, child abuse, and elder abuse. It includes the use of alcohol or drugs to commit any of these acts. These acts are inclusive of acts committed by strangers, friends, acquaintances, intimates, or other persons.  For a list of resources for those affected by power-based personal violence, please see the bottom of the page.

Sexual Assault:
Sexual assault is the intentional or knowing penetration, no matter how slight, of the sex organ or anus with any body part or object, or oral sex, without consent of the complainant. The term sexual assault also may be referred to as rape.

Sexual Violence:
Sexual violence refers to physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent due to use of drugs/alcohol or disability. Examples of sexual violence include: rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, or sexual coercion.

Dating Violence:
Dating Violence is violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors: the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

Domestic Violence:
Domestic violence includes felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a roommate, a current or former spouse of the victim, or by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, or by a person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse of a victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction.

Stalking:
Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others, or to suffer substantial emotional distress.

During bystander training, we discuss power-based personal violence in terms of sexual violence, partner violence, and stalking.  However, the skills participants learn in class can be readily applied to situations of hazing and bullying.

Reporting Options

• Dean of Students (940-565-2648) – DOS (Union 409) can receive complaints that a student committed misconduct. DOS can explain relevant policies, its investigation procedures, other reporting options, implement interim measures to protect against ongoing harassment, violence, or retaliation, and refer survivors to support resources. If a DOS investigation finds that a student committed misconduct, DOS will impose sanctions, up to and including possible suspension and expulsion.
• Title IX Coordinator (940-565-2759) - UNT’s Title IX Coordinator is housed in the Office of Equal Opportunity (Hurley 175). You may file any Title IX-related complaint with the Title IX Coordinator (including sexual assault and sexual harassment). The Office of Equal Opportunity will investigate the complaint if the accused party is a staff/faculty member, guest, or visitor to campus.  The Title IX Coordinator will also ensure your continued access to your educational program.
• UNT Police (940-565-3000) - You may file a police report with campus police for assaults occurring on campus at the Sullivant Public Safety Center (1700 Wilshire Street).  When making a report to police, you may choose to report using a pseudonym so that your name will not appear in public files.
• Denton Police (940-349-8181) - You may file a police report at the Denton Police Department (601 E. Hickory Street) for assaults occurring off campus in Denton.  
• If the assault did not occur on the UNT Campus or in Denton, you can file a report with the respective law enforcement agency. The Survivor Advocate can connect you to the right jurisdiction. 

To learn about UNT’s policies regarding sexual assault, sexual violence, dating/domestic violence, or stalking, or to report an incident, visit: http://deanofstudents.unt.edu/sexual-misconduct.