Luther College to host bystander intervention workshop Feb. 22

Luther College will host a Green Dot Bystander Intervention Workshop from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, in Peace Dining Room on the second floor of Dahl Centennial Union. The workshop is open to all Decorah area community members to learn strategies for preventing interpersonal violence in the community. To RSVP for the event, email the Luther College Title IX coordinator Kasey Nikkel at kasey.nikkel@luther.edu.  

Workshop facilitators are Nikkel; Brittany McIntyre, a youth advocate at Helping Services for Youth and Families; and Jake Dyer, assistant dean and coordinator of new student services at Luther. 

“Green Dot’s curriculum on bystander intervention is a crucial tool in reducing incidents of sexual assault, dating violence and stalking at Luther and in our Decorah community,” Nikkel said. “Through active engagement and intervention, individuals contribute to fostering safer environments and play a key role in the prevention of harm. It is a practical strategy that empowers communities to collectively address and mitigate the risks associated with these forms of interpersonal violence.”

Green Dot’s curriculum aims to prevent interpersonal violence.

Attendees can learn the basic elements of Green Dot’s program, focusing specifically on the vital role college employees and community members play in establishing and reinforcing a healthy culture. This workshop is interactive and action-oriented, so participants should bring a smartphone. 

Luther staff also trains students in the Green Dot program throughout the year. During the 2022-23 school year, nearly 550 Luther students, nearly double from the previous academic year, attended a workshop to promote a healthy culture on campus.

If students are interested in attending a workshop, they can email Nikkel at kasey.nikkel@luther.edu to set up a training session.