New Beginnings continues to promote Green Dot program to community, focused on preventing person violence

June 5, 2022 | 12:08 am

Updated June 4, 2022 | 10:27 pm

Graphic by Owensboro Times

New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services acts as a two-fold organization. In addition to helping those who have experienced sexual assault, the nonprofit also works to educate the community about how to prevent numerous types of assault through the nationally recognized Green Dot program.

The Green Dot program identifies ways to prevent power-based personal violence, sexual violence, partner violence, child abuse, harassment, bullying, and stalking.

Through bystander intervention training, the Green Dot program engages witnesses to interrupt situations that are imminently or potentially high-risk for violence, increases self-efficacy, and provides skill building and specific strategies to increase the likelihood that trained individuals will actually intervene. 

As part of the Green Dot program, New Beginnings offers free training to groups, businesses and organizations that want to help keep their community safe.

Click here to learn more about the Green Dot Bystander Training program in Owensboro.

High School Prevention Educator Breanna Smith said that she tries to go to high schools at least once every nine-week period to talk to students, typically in their freshmen health class.

She tends to host a full training outside of the health classes at least once a semester at Apollo High School, Henderson County High School, Owensboro Innovation Academy, and Webster County High School.

She often teaches about how to respect boundaries toward sexual assault and dating violence.

Smith said that while teaching high schoolers is effective, they typically find talking to elementary schoolers is just as important.

“The elementary schoolers often don’t know what [inappropriate touching] is, so they learn what it is,” Smith said.

She said that some elementary schoolers may disclose information that isn’t exactly a violation, but Smith knows that the conversation opens the children’s eyes to things they didn’t know before.

Outside of the schools, New Beginnings tries to go into the community to teach some of the community members about the range of services they provide as well as the types of violence.

The model focuses on the 3 Ds: Direct, Delegate and Distract.

A Green Dot is any behavior, choice, word, or attitude that counters or displaces violence – by promoting safety for everyone and communicating utter intolerance for any type of power-based personal violence.

Smith said they sometimes get a few calls after the presentation because people aren’t always comfortable with sharing information during the public conversations.

“It’s always good to get out in the community because now they have that resource to use us in the future,” Smith said.

New Beginnings’ services are available regardless of when the assault was committed. They employ six therapists who are licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) and one who is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. All of these certifications require a master’s degree and continuing education. They offer medical and legal advocacy to survivors and have Victim Advocates who will assist in the process.

For more information regarding any of their programs or services, contact them here.

June 5, 2022 | 12:08 am

Share this Article

Other articles you may like