Green Dot, ONE Lexington hosting online bystander training

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Green Dot Lexington is teaming up with ONE Lexington and others to put together important training for those in the city.

If you are 18 years and older, they are hosting a Bystander Awareness Intervention training class on Zoom Saturday morning.

Green Dot Lexington is always helping within the community. Every month they host a training session.

Their goal is for people to start being active bystanders, helping improve the city and making it a safer place for everyone.

“It is a program that teaches the everyday person what they can do to step into a situation safely and de-escalate a situation and prevent violence from occurring,” said Dawn Rnyon of Green Dot Lexington.

According to the US department of justice, a bystander is present for about 70% of assaults. With bystander training like this, they hope to improve those statistics.

“If we can find preventative measures then we can kind of decrease some of the numbers and be more effective and efficient in our numbers,” said Kenneth Payne of ONE Lexington

Some important information that you will learn is how to recognize harmful behaviors, identify the barriers that may prevent you or others from helping and the Options to help you safely intervene.

Green Dot focuses on three main aspects: direct, delegate and distract.

The goal is to help more friends, family, neighbors and fellow community members. It’s just one step in ending domestic violence and sexual violence in the city.

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