In an effort to foster open conversation about sexual assault and domestic violence on campus, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Green Dot Program will host two discussions at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 11 in the Donaghey Student Center (DSC).

The “For Women Only” discussion in DSC Leadership Lounge will be led by Sgt. Jennifer Lusk of the UALR Police Department, LaTonda Davis-Williams, employee relations manager and Title IX coordinator, and Dr. Erin Finzer, chair of the Department of International and Second Language Studies and member of the Title IX and Green Dot committees.

Lusk will discuss the following campus safety advice:

• No always means no
• No matter what the circumstances, it is never the victim’s fault
• Report incidents to the police as soon as possible
• If you see or hear anything you think is suspicious, contact the police immediately, even if it’s an anonymous tip
• Stay in groups of two or more and never leave a member of the group behind
• Tell a friend, roommate, or family member where you are going and what time you will return

“I do all I can to help people understand that we are a family, and that it is up to us to watch out for each other,” Lusk said.

Meanwhile, the “For Men Only” discussion in DSC-G will be led by Det. Roy Williams of the Little Rock Police Department and Richard Harper, assistant dean of students.

The For Women Only and For Men Only programs were created to reduce the tension students may feel when discussing difficult topics.

“Our Green Dot student staff pointed out that sexual assault, domestic violence, and similar topics are hard for students to discuss when both men and women are in the room, so they created these programs.” said Mia Phillips, communications and special projects coordinator for the Chancellor’s Office.

“The facilitators are also of the same gender as the participants,” she said. “We hope that people will feel more comfortable having genuine conversations about these issues with people who identify the same way as them. The only way to fix problems like sexual assault is to address them directly.”

The discussions are hosted by the UALR Green Dot Program, which uses a comprehensive strategy that capitalizes on the power of peer and cultural influences. It seeks to engage community members through awareness, education, and skills initiatives that reduce the tolerance of violence and increase effective reactions during high-risk situations.

The discussions are funded by a $22,000 grant Verizon made to the UALR Green Dot Program in January to prevent campus violence.