Green Dot Bingo Night; Educating By Standers

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My first event as a program coordinator for the Women’s Center was last night. Green Dot Bingo was a way to inform students about the Green Dot initiative in a fun and innovative way. Green Dot is a nonprofit that works to eradicate power-based interpersonal violence.  The organization defines power-based interpersonal violence as partner violence‚ sexual violence, stalking, bullying, child abuse, or elder abuse . It isn’t gendered or hetero-normative. Interpersonal violence can happen in a plethora of different situations with each gender playing a different role. Green Dot works on educating and reducing the occurrence of these situations. How? Green Dot focuses on emphasizing the importance of bystanders in preventing and intervening during red dots (warning situations).
Bystanders have a civic responsibility to others. As citizens, we must make sure we don’t encourage inter-personal violence by simply allowing it without interfering.  Green Dot Bingo night substituted numbers in original Bingo games with scenarios in which bystanders can help advance the Green Dot Mission. For example, a scenario might be “ Create a buddy system at night and make sure all your friends get home safe.” I was extremely excited to make such an important issue a fun activity.  I look forward to being able to run more events that target important societal issues in an enjoyable manner.