Green Dot Program
"I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people." -Maya Angelou.
Did you know that as an active bystander you could help reduce the likelihood that someone would be harmed by domestic abuse, sexual violence, or child abuse in our city and that makes you a HERO?
August is National Bystander Awareness Month. This year, Lexington’s Department of Social Services’ Green Dot program will celebrate the everyday heroes among us. We invite you to be a part of the change to help end intimate partner violence in our community by getting the tools you need to help you safely intervene. Green Dot is a nationally recognized violence prevention strategy focused on harnessing the power of the bystander to reduce rates of intimate partner violence. The program offers two-hour virtual trainings to individuals and organizations. Participants will learn to recognize abusive behaviors; identify barriers that prevent others from helping, and discover options to choose safety in the midst of potential harm.
FREE virtual Bystander Intervention trainings are offered to the public each month through Green Dot Lexington, information on upcoming trainings can be found on our Facebook page, @GreendotLexington.
Individuals who complete the training will receive a certificate and branded materials to help spread the message of Green Dot and engage others in helping to end violence. A limited number of Be an Active Bystander yard signs will be available upon request for training participants. The signs will also be on display in the yards of more than 300 community members who have completed prior Green Dot trainings since October 2020.
Be sure to subscribe to the Green Dot Lexington quarterly newsletter to learn more: https://Lexingtonky.gov/Greendot
Among the events that will take place throughout the month of August will be Green Dot Thursday, August 18. Everyone is encouraged to wear green on that day to show their commitment to being an active bystander and ending intimate partner violence. Upload your pictures on social media in your green gear using the hashtags #BystanderPower, #BeAnActiveBystander, and #KnowHow2Act so we can find you. We’re also asking the community to take the Green Dot Pledge and challenge others around them to do the same!
Be sure to SAVE THE DATE: August 21, as we have a special event planned with The Lexington Legends for Superhero Night – more details to come.
Other events and promotions can be found on the Green Dot Lexington website or by following Green Dot Lexington on Facebook and Instagram.
“Creating a culture where power-based personal violence no longer exists is possible, but it takes all of us doing our part to prevent it! As a bystander you have the power to make a difference by choosing safety for those in harm’s way.”
To schedule a training for your team of six or more, organizations/departments can email Dawn Runyon at drunyon@lexingtonky.gov.
For more information about Lexington’s Green Dot program visit lexingtonky.gov/greendot.
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