Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
April is Sexual Violence Awareness Month and to celebrate the Quay County Intimate Partner Violence Task Force has planned several activities to mark Sexual Violence Awareness Month in April, including a bystander intervention training on April 6.
Have you run across a potentially violent situation and wanted to step in, but refrained because you were not sure what to do? There are many reasons why people choose not to get involved when they see a threatening or uncomfortable situation, especially when there are others present. Some people just don’t want to get involved, or they look to others to step in, or they fear becoming a target themselves if they do or say something.
This training will provide strategies and techniques to intervene directly or indirectly in both emergency and non-emergency situations. Participants will learn ways to de-escalate a situation while keeping themselves safe.
The discussion will cover what to do when coming upon a situation while shopping or viewing social media platforms or being directly involved in a violent situation. The training will discuss real-life situations/scenarios.
This training is appropriate for high-school and college students, as they are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence. Bystander intervention training also is one of the most effective ways to address and prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Employers should encourage their employees to attend. Trained bystanders can intervene and stop inappropriate behavior before it rises to a dangerous level.
This bystander intervention training is free and will be offered online. The presenter will be Kaitlin Dunken with ARISE Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center.
The training will begin 7 p.m. April 6 over Zoom or Facebook Live. To get the Zoom link, email [email protected] or text (575) 815-4575 and ask for “bystander link.” You may also watch on Facebook on the Quay County Health Council page @quaycountyhealth.
The Intimate Partner Violence Task Force is a committee of the Quay County Health Council. Call if you are interested in becoming involved.