Green Dot Across the Bluegrass: Evaluation of a Primary Prevention Intervention

"Green Dot" is a bystander intervention program that empowers students to actively question peer support for sexual violence (SV) and become change agents who play a significant role in preventing sexual violence. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the statewide application of Green Dot among high schools students. We hypothesize that students in high schools with Green Dot will over time report lower rates of SV compared with students in comparable high schools randomized not to have Green Dot. A high school based controlled intervention trial is being used to test the efficacy of Green Dot. Both panel and cohort survey methods will be used to provide baseline and prospective data on student's attitudes supporting SV, bystander behaviors and violence victimization and perpetration. In 13 Kentucky regions, 2 demographically comparable high schools were recruited to participate in Green Dot intervention either as the intervention or control site. Schools were randomly assigned to the intervention. Study Population includes all students in participating high schools invited to complete anonymous panel surveys beginning spring 2010 through 2014. This state-wide, population-based, multi-site controlled intervention trial provides an empirical test of a promising intervention, which, if proven effective, could result in the primary prevention of SV and a reduction in the health and academic consequences of SV.