Teal Dot Spring 2021 Resources

Welcome to Spring 2021 at The Claremont Colleges!

Though we cannot yet meet in person, we wanted to introduce ourselves and share some information.

Teal Dot is a crucial 7C bystander engagement program designed to reduce sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, and stalking on our campuses. Teal Dot bystander engagement trainings are 3-hour long certificate programs that teach students how to identify high risk situations and equip them to intervene in a safe way to prevent violence. Due to COVID-19, we are unable to provide our 3-hour Teal Dot Bystander Engagement Trainings to the 7C community in Spring 2021. However, we still wanted to share information with you about how to be an engaged bystander. If you haven’t before, please check out this video created by our Teal Dot committee and a group of student volunteers, to learn more:

Working and learning remotely has brought many changes to the ways we interact and create community, but you can still be a proactive bystander if you notice warning signs of harassment, abuse, or violence online. Consider these bystander intervention strategies, shared by the violence prevention education organization, Soteria Solutions:

If you notice your friend misses online class sign-ins, doesn’t respond to texts, doesn’t post on social media, or doesn’t participate in friend “hangouts,”

Ask yourself: “Is something wrong, or do they just need a break from being online?”

Then ask your friend: “I’ve noticed you haven’t been [describe the behavior you noticed] – “Are you OK?”; “Is there anything I can do to help?”; “Do you want to talk?”

2. If you notice your friend discloses hints of their partner’s controlling behaviors or jealousy,

Ask yourself: “Is their partner’s behavior meant to control or have power over them?”

Then ask your friend: “[Describe the behavior you noticed] I’m concerned about you and want to make sure that you are safe inside your apartment”; “Is there anything I can do to help?”; “Here is the number for a national hotline for free confidential help.”

Confidential crisis hotlines and 7C support services can be useful resources to share when you are not in the same location as a friend/family member who might be struggling. Here are a few to remember:

The EmPOWER Center: 909-607-2689; https://www.7csupportandprevention.com/
Monsour Counseling: 909-621-8202; https://services.claremont.edu/mcaps/mcaps-resources/
Project Sister Family Services Hotline: 909-626-4357; https://projectsister.org/
The Hotline (National Domestic Violence Hotline): 800-799-SAFE (7233); https://www.thehotline.org/
RAINN National Sexual Assault Crisis Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (800-656-4673); https://www.rainn.org/

If you would like to learn more about bystander intervention, check out this excellent link: https://www.nsvrc.org/bystander-intervention-resources. The 7C Teal Dot Committee will announce Teal Dot Bystander Engagement Training sessions for Fall 2021 this September. We hope you will sign up for one of our trainings then. You can also follow us at www.facebook.com/TealDot. Take good care and please feel free to connect by email if you have any questions.

A note from the EmPOWER Center:

For someone who’s struggling, it can sometimes feel too difficult or even too burdensome to answer the question, “How are you?” So, we wanted to leave you with 10 alternative ways to reach out, start a conversation, or show you care. Never underestimate the power you have to make a positive impact on someone else’s life and in your community.

Share something that made you think of them
Let them know you're free for a chat
Ask if they've seen a new TV show
Remind them of a nice shared memory
Acknowledge that things aren't easy right now
Express gratitude that you have them in your life
Send them an interesting article to read or share some good news you saw
Recall their interests and ask them how their favorite team is doing or if they've read any new books
Ask if you can help with anything
Wish them a good day

Warmly,

The 7C Teal Dot Committee & the EmPOWER Center

Ellie Ash-Bala: ellie.ash-bala@pomona.edu

Frank Bedoya: Frank.Bedoya@pomona.edu

Moya Carter: Moya.Carter@claremont.edu

Lynzie DeVeres: Lynzie.DeVeres@ClaremontMcKenna.edu

Evetth Gonzalez: evgonzalez@g.hmc.edu

Jami Hinshaw: jami.hinshaw@cgu.edu

Linda Lam: Linda_Lam@pitzer.edu

Brittany Raygoza: Brittany_Raygoza@kgi.edu

Sean Rollolazo: Sean.Rollolazo@ClaremontMcKenna.edu

Rima Shah: RShahEmPOWER@claremont.edu

Rita Shaw: Rita.Shaw@pomona.edu

Lisette De La Trinidad-Alvarado: LdelaTri@scrippscollege.edu