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A spirit that is not afraid

Students can learn to act through Green Dot training

<p>Contributed by Eric Smith, director of Health Promotion and Wellness Services</p>

Contributed by Eric Smith, director of Health Promotion and Wellness Services

Families aim not to hurt each other, and through Auburn University’s Green Dot training program, Auburn is striving to be the healthiest family it can be.

Green Dot training was created to educate all parts of the Auburn Family about sexual violence that occurs on college campuses and how students and faculty are all potential bystanders that can make a difference in ending this.

There are three main components to the Green Dot training method: the single choice made by a bystander in the moment, a social movement across individuals on campus and a shared vision held by the Auburn Family to keep our campus free of sexual violence.

If each act of sexual violence was a red dot on a map of our campus, then a bystander stepping in to help would be a green dot.

Auburn wants campus to be covered in green dots, and to accomplish this mission, they seek to “establish a community that does not tolerate violence.”

When the Auburn Family completely rejects the concept of power-based violence and sexual violence being tolerated, then sexual violence will be eradicated.

To become a “Green Dot,” intervene and be an active bystander that gets involved, not one that sits back and watches.

Whether you know the person or do not know the person involved in a situation of power-based violence, Green Dot emphasizes that stepping in can change the outcome of the situation.

Becoming an active bystander that saves someone’s life and protects them is part of being protective as part of the Auburn Family.

Green Dot training highlights that a campus covered in Green Dots sends the message that power-based violence is not accepted or tolerated at Auburn University.

To report your act of being a Green Dot, go to the website WE.auburn and fill out the logistics of how you were a Green Dot, for example, where the incident occurred.

If you have ever been a victim of sexual violence or know someone who needs information on how to receive help, please utilize the resources Auburn University has available to you.


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