LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Arizona --
Luke Air Force Base will begin Phase II of Green Dot’s
strategy to prevent interpersonal violence starting in May.
“Green Dot is a civilian initiative the Air Force is
adopting with a tiered approach to outreach and prevention,” said Maj. Daphne
Brewton, Luke Air Force Base Green Dot coordinator. “It is a research-based
movement that focuses on empowering individuals to take small steps in
prevention efforts.”
The Green Dot initiative to prevent violence includes
three phases of training. Phase I was leadership training, Phase II is
bystander training and Phase III is overview training. Luke has more than 50
percent of its leadership trained and is on schedule to begin Phase II
training.
Nine Airmen from Luke, including Brewton, started the
process in January when they attended the Green Dot prep session.
“When we initially went to training we had no idea what
to expect,” Thompson said. “We left absolutely excited that there’s a real
potential for change.”
While the Air Force currently utilizes Sexual Assault
Prevention Response to help victims, Green Dot’s program is designed for
prevention with a scope beyond the SAPR program.
The program will start with prevention strategies for
stalking, sexual assault, domestic violence and later evolve to cover additional
types of violence including: child abuse, suicide prevention, bullying and
alcohol- related incidences.
“The ultimate goal is the reduction of power-based
interpersonal violence and having Airmen understand what he or she can do to
stop it,” Brewton said. “Green Dot engages all Airmen through awareness,
education and skills to establish an intolerance of interpersonal violence.”
Green Dot’s strategy is proactive, not reactive. The
program focuses on behaviors of Airmen in high-risk situations and what they do
to prevent the situation from escalating.
“We teach Airmen techniques that empower them,” Brewton
said. “Some people believe you need to be direct or assertive to make a
difference and prevent a situation from escalating, but that’s not always the
case.”
Green Dot’s strategy of violence prevention is unlike
anything the Air Force has done before.
“I’m really excited about the initiative,” Thompson said.
“If we can soak it up, take it in and take action, not just Luke, but the
entire Air Force, we can really make a difference.”