Green Dot Week kicks off with honor for Folsom

Green Dot Executive Director Dorothy Edwards speaks at a Green Dot Week reception as Darcie Folsom, Connecticut College’s director of sexual violence prevention and advocacy, looks on.
Green Dot Executive Director Dorothy Edwards speaks at a Green Dot Week reception as Darcie Folsom, Connecticut College’s director of sexual violence prevention and advocacy, looks on.

Connecticut College kicked off its annual Green Dot Week—a series of events and activities dedicated to raising awareness about the College’s violence prevention program—by welcoming Green Dot creator Dorothy Edwards to campus and honoring Darcie Folsom, the College’s director of sexual violence prevention and advocacy.

Folsom implemented the Green Dot program at Connecticut College in 2010. Through the national program, students, faculty and staff are trained in bystander-intervention techniques to help prevent power-based personal violence, including sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. A "Green Dot" is defined as any behavior, choice, word or attitude that counters or displaces a "red dot" of violence, promoting safety for everyone and communicating utter intolerance for sexual violence, interpersonal violence and stalking. 

“We know from Green Dot research that there is a 50 percent reduction in sexual violence on campuses that engage in the Green Dot program,” said Edwards, who serves as executive director of Green Dot, at a special reception for Folsom. "It’s truly been an honor to have Darcie as a partner in this work.”

More than 800 students, faculty and staff have completed Green Dot training since the program was implemented at the College. An additional 90 faculty, staff and students are scheduled to be trained this week.

At the reception, President Katherine Bergeron commended Folsom for her leadership and also recognized Senior Associate Dean of Student Life Sarah Cardwell and Director of Student Wellness and Alcohol/Other Drug Education CC Curtiss, who were instrumental in launching the College’s proactive effort to prevent sexual violence.

“It is incredibly inspiring to be in the company of such visionary women," Bergeron said.   

Camel Mascot at Green Dot Hockey Game Green Dot Week, which extends through Feb. 13, continues tomorrow with the 5th Annual Green Dot Men’s Hockey Game. Members of the team, more than 70 percent of whom have been trained in the Green Dot program, will don special green jerseys to take on Tufts University at 7 p.m. in Dayton Arena on the Connecticut College campus. The event will feature raffle prizes and giveaways, and spectators are encouraged to wear green to show their Green Dot pride.

“Green Dot is important to me as it allows me to help create a safe community,” said men’s hockey player Joe Birmingham ’16. “By living the Green Dot, I am able to be a part of the solution when it comes to violence prevention.”

The full schedule of Green Dot Week events is as follows:

  • 5th Annual Green Dot Hockey Game vs. Tufts University, Saturday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. in Dayton Arena. The event will feature raffle prizes and giveaways, and students are encouraged to wear Green Dot gear.
  • Green Dot Gym Takeover, Monday, Feb. 8, at 4 p.m. in the Athletic Center. Information on the Green Dot program will be available and Juliette Verrengia ’16 will teach spin classes at 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to wear green.
  • Green Dot Bar Night, Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 9 p.m. in Humphrey’s. Students age 21 and older are invited to discuss post-graduation green dots over green beer.
  • “Psych of Bystanders,” Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 4:30 p.m. in the Charles Chu Asian Arts Reading Room in Shain Library. Join Psychology Professor Jason Nier and Darcie Folsom, director of sexual violence prevention and advocacy, for a lecture and conversation about the barriers that might keep people from intervening in a potentially dangerous situation, and what can be done to work around these barriers.
  • Green Dot Bingo, Thursday, Feb. 11, at 10 p.m. in the 1962 Room of the Crozier-Williams student center. In partnership with the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership Education, a Green Dot-themed Bingo game will include green prizes and trivia between Bingo rounds.
  • “So You Think You Know Me,” Friday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m. in Ernst Common Room, Blaustein Humanities Center. Students are invited to bring a roommate, best friend or significant other to play a version of the Newlyweds game. 
  • Green Dot Training, Saturday, Feb. 13, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. This student-only training program will prepare more than 40 students to join the 393 current students previously trained at Connecticut College in the Green Dot program. (Students interested in signing up for the training should contact Darcie Folsom.)

 



February 5, 2016