Attorney General Andy Beshear, his Office of Victims Advocacy and the Women’s Crisis Center have announced that employees in the Office of the Attorney General will take part in a training and policy initiative to help them prevent violence in their communities.
Green Dot, a nationally recognized strategy active in 42 states, five countries and in the United States Air Force, focuses on preventing power-based personal violence – sexual violence, partner violence, child abuse, elder abuse, bullying and stalking.
In Kentucky, 47 percent of women and 20 percent of men report experiencing sexual violence.
“Today we take another step forward in our mission to change the culture of violence in our communities and create a culture of respect,” said Beshear. “This training will empower the entire Office of the Attorney General to be active bystanders – to prevent violence in our workplace, in our relationships and in our communities.”
The completion of the training, which is based around the belief that everyone holds power as bystanders to actively prevent violence and shape our community norms, will make Beshear’s office the first attorney general’s office in the nation to implement Green Dot. In Kentucky, Beshear’s office will be the first state government agency to complete the training and Beshear is the first Kentucky constitutional officer to seek the training for office employees.
The Women’s Crisis Center of Northern Kentucky is partnering with Beshear’s office to train more than 200 employees starting April 16.
The center was one of the first in the country to receive specialized training to implement Green Dot in high schools and community organizations.
Burch
Christy Burch, executive director of the Women’s Crisis Center, said research has shown Green Dot training resulted in a 50 percent decrease in sexual assault perpetration and a 40 percent decrease in perpetration rates overall, including sexual harassment, stalking and dating violence.
“The Women’s Crisis Center is honored to be a partner in prevention with the Office of the Attorney General in launching the Green Dot Violence Prevention Strategy,” said Burch. “Safeguarding Kentuckians and working to ensure justice for victims unites these two agencies in the common goal of reducing violence and taking care of those who are impacted by violence.”
The Northern Kentucky center also helped Maysville, Kentucky become one of the first Green Dot cities in the nation. The training reached faith communities, local elected leaders, businesses and other community members.
Efforts are also underway in Covington to implement a similar strategy.
Covington City Council Member Shannon Smith said, “I am hopeful the Green Dot’s momentum captures all of Covington and inspires others to adopt the approach, as our attorney general’s office has pledged, so we may all work together towards systematically ending domestic violence.”
Green Dot Kentucky originally started at the University of Kentucky under the leadership of Dr. Dorothy Thomas and has been adopted by the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs and their 13 member rape crisis centers across the state. The centers implement the training primarily in middle schools, high schools and colleges.
Gretchen Hunt, executive director of Beshear’s Office of Victims Advocacy said, “By implementing Green Dot, we are helping to institutionalize and expand our mission of being victim-centered and trauma-informed. It builds on the change we have created by forming the first Survivor’s Council in the nation, working to end our SAFE kit backlog and seeking justice for victims of sexual assault on college campuses and across Kentucky. It is an incredibly exciting day for Kentucky.”
For more information about Green Dot, click here.
Office of the Attorney General
