READING, Pa. — Penn State Berks will continue the Stand for State program, a University-wide initiative aimed at empowering Penn Staters by providing bystander intervention training to students, faculty and staff. These training sessions will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, and from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5, in the Penn State Room, Perkins Student Center, and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7, in the Multipurpose Room, Perkins Student Center.
In addition, the Berks Women in Crisis will present the film "Telling Amy's Story" followed by a discussion at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, in the Perkins Student Center Multipurpose Room. Hosted by actress and advocate Mariska Hargitay, and told by Detective Deirdi Fishel, "Telling Amy’s Story" follows the timeline of a domestic violence homicide that occurred on Nov. 8, 2001.
The bystander intervention program was created by Green Dot, a national leader in violence prevention education. In the curriculum, as people engage in new behaviors to reduce violence and harm (which are labeled as red dots), the new prevention behaviors are represented by green dots. The key tactics for intervening and removing someone from harm’s way are Green Dot’s three D’s: direct, delegate and distract.
In February 2015, Penn State President Eric Barron endorsed the bystander intervention program as part of all 18 recommendations to fight sexual assault and sexual harassment on campus that were presented by a University task force.
“Stand for State is an integral part of our strategy to fight sexual violence and establish Penn State as a leader in making campuses safer," Barron said. "It’s encouraging that so many have taken time to attend sessions and be trained, and I commend them for being part of the solution. For Penn Staters looking to take a stand and make a difference, this initiative is an emphatic first step.”
Green Dot provided four-day training sessions in June and November 2015, educating a total of about 200 faculty, staff and administrators. The workshops focused on providing participants with the skills to recognize potentially problematic situations, step in and diffuse the situations when appropriate, and seek help when needed.
At Penn State Berks, two staff members have been trained in the Green Dot bystander intervention curriculum: James McCarty, admissions counselor, and Elizabeth “Betsy” Scarpaci, assistant director of Student Affairs and Residence Life. Those trained will implement bystander intervention workshops for students, faculty and staff.
For more information, follow #StandforState on social media or email standforstate@psu.edu.