Green Dot is a bystander training course that students, faculty and staff can take in order to reduce the number of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking cases on campus. Green Dot teaches how to recognize “red dot” behaviors and how to safely approach situations to diffuse it.
“I wanted to learn more about it, especially working with students daily, and unfortunately sexual assault, deigned domestic violence and stalking are issues that impact every single college campus,” said Aquatics and Risk Management Coordinator Adam Comeau.
When Comeau was an undergraduate student working as the head lifeguard at his university, he witnessed another lifeguard making “uncomfortable and awkward remarks about some of the younger female staff workers.” He said he pushed it aside because he had school, work and other things on his mind but later the lifeguard was fired because many of those female staff members came forward to the supervisor.
Comeau said he also had many female friends who experienced stalking during college and were roofied when at the bars. He said it was “really, really frustrating” and that he wanted to know what he could do to help.
Comeau became an instructor for Green Dot in January of 2020 and has completed a few staff and faculty overview courses over Zoom so far.
The most valuable thing he learned was “the idea of coming together as a community to address these issues and work towards resolving them,” said Comeau.
Academic Advisor Denise Sheen took the Green Dot course in July of 2020.
“We all have a responsibility to take care of each other as a university and community,” said Sheen. “This course teaches you how to take a stand.”
Sheen said everything in the course was valuable. It helped her understand how to take action when witnessing different types of violent behaviors. She said she had an awareness but was not sure how to respond as a bystander until she took the Green Dot course.
Sheen said she has not had to use the skills yet learned from Green Dot but is confident that if the time arises she will know how to help.
Comeau said he has not had to use the skills yet he learned through Green Dot either but that many of his friends and family members have.
Comeau said overview courses are 90 minute sessions consisting of an overview of the course, which is five to six hours long. Due to COVID-19 there have not been in person courses and Comeau said he is unsure when they may start occurring again.
For more information or to sign up for a course, go to http://www.uwyo.edu/greendot/. Courses are free for students and free for some faculty and staff on a first come first serve basis.
