January 31, 2008
Training sessions offered for campus violence prevention and response
It’s a 50-minute session that could literally save lives.
The UW Advisory Committee on Violence Prevention is sponsoring a series of informational meetings for the campus community.
The sessions focus on recognizing the warning signs of violence and on how to respond in such situations, including details about the University’s policies and its many available resources.
They’re part of a larger awareness campaign called SafeCampus, in which many on and off-campus agencies are partnering to improve safety and clarify what faculty, staff and students should do in the event of a violent situation.
“SafeCampus is not just a specific office on campus, it’s a concept for the University,” said David Girts, interim manager of the Violence Prevention and Response Program and a sergeant with the UW Police. “Preventing violence is everyone’s responsibility. Early identification of situations that cause concern for safety allows the UW to then provide the resources so the situation doesn’t develop into something more dangerous.”
The length of a class hour, the violence prevention and response sessions are guided by representatives of Human Resources and the UW Police. They are open to all faculty, staff and students. You can register to attend a scheduled meeting by visiting http://www.washington.edu/safecampus or you can call 206-543-2354 and request that one be presented for your department or unit.
Upcoming sessions are:
- 9:30 to 10:20 a.m. Monday, Feb. 4, in 310 HUB.
- 3:30 to 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in T-733 Health Sciences.
- 9:30 to 10:20 a.m. Monday, March 10, in 106B HUB.
- 3:30 to 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, in T-733 Health Sciences.
One such session was conducted Friday for staff and faculty members of the Linguistics Department by Stephanie Brink, a senior UW human resources consultant, and Warren Bresko, a crime prevention officer with the UW Police. Using a PowerPoint presentation, the two covered an agenda that included identifying the signs of potentially violent behavior and explaining applicable UW policies and resources.
They stressed that you should always dial 911 if you or others may be in danger. But the SafeCampus phone lines are available for reporting nonurgent threats of violence and for referrals to UW counseling and/or safety resources. The numbers are:
- For the Seattle campus: 206-685-SAFE (206-685-7233)
- For the Bothell campus: 425-352-SAFE. (425-352-7233)
- For the Tacoma campus: 253-692-SAFE (253-692-7233)
Brink said it’s best to trust your instincts and report “observations that concern you” if confronted with the warning signs of distress and potential violence. “The risk of not reporting it far outweighs the risk of reporting an issue, even if it turns out not to be serious,” she said.
They listed what are termed prohibited behaviors, reaffirming that the UW does not tolerate behavior that is violent, threatening or intimidating, or that disrupts the workplace, the academic environment or the University’s service to the public.
As the two described progressively more serious warning signs of distress or violent behavior, a marker in the material moved from a yellow area at the left indicating a low threat to bright red at the right, the most severe situation of threat. Early warning signs include moodiness, withdrawal from friends, overreaction to situations, attendance problems. Serious warning signs include showing a fascination with or approval of violence or identification with perpetrators, escalating conflicts or bizarre or inappropriate behavior.
The most serious warning signs include indications of relationship abuse or domestic violence, talk of self-harm or suicide, sabotaging the property of the UW or coworkers, causing fear on the part of coworkers or students or bringing a weapon to campus.
Brink and Bresko also discussed what to do when confronted by a violent situation. The right response depends on the circumstances and location, Brink and Bresko said, and follows common sense. It is almost always better to evacuate (run away) if you can do so safely. However, sometimes it’s best to stay where you are and hide — which is called sheltering in place — rather than risk more danger by fleeing the scene.
They also encouraged those attending to have a workplace security plan, to better enable them to react to emergencies. The UW Police are available to consult on such plans for a department or unit. These plans should include initial and regular training, physical security, emergency communications, safe rooms, individual employee responsibilities and a code word for security.
Partnering with Human Resources and UW Police in this effort are Student Life, Academic Human Resources, UW Carelink, the Center for Instructional Development and Research and the Sexual Assault and Information Services.
You can register for a session or get more information by calling 206-543-2354 or visiting the Safe Campus Web site, at http://www.washington.edu/safecampus.
