What is it? April 5th in particular has been declared “A Day to End Sexual Violence.” by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. It is a day for "all individuals, groups and organizations to organize and/or participate in an awareness-raising or prevention-focused activity in their community.” (NSVCR,2007). Through community awareness events, the goal is to draw attention to this issue and to educate the public regarding the dynamics of sexual assault and how community members can share in the responsibility for preventing it. The slogan this year is “Prevent Sexual Assault…in our communities.”
How big of a problem is sexual assault for our young people? Sexual assault is a broad term that covers many other more specific crimes and issues. Some of those are child sexual abuse, internet/technology based crimes, sexual harassment, rape and statutory rape, stalking, trafficking and sexual exploitation, domestic violence, and dating violence. All of these issues touch our kids in some way. Some youth populations, like girls or gay and lesbian youth are at particular risk. Education about both prevention and intervention strategies are our best weapon.
What’s at the root of sexual violence? Five norms or belief systems contribute to sexual violence. These include “...limited roles for and objectification and oppression of women; value placed on claiming and maintaining power, tolerance of aggression and attribution of blame to victims; traditional constructs of manhood, including domination, control, and risk taking; and notions of individual and family privacy that foster secrecy and silence. (Sexual Violence and the Spectrum of Prevention, Davis, Parks, and Cohen, 2006) Primary prevention activities work to address each of these issues.
How can you get kids involved? The NSVRC website has tons of ideas for activities that you can implement during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, or anytime. Check out “Ten Community Prevention Actions” for ideas such as “teach non-violent conflict-resolution skills and promote anti-bullying values that demonstrate respect for everyone.” that you can weave into your every day work with kids. There is also a toolkit you can also download for more activity ideas.
Keep it simple. You might want to focus on one topic that particularly affects or interests your kids, such as sexual harassment or dating violence. Build several activities around one theme. For example, you could discuss with kids aspects of healthy relationships, and warning signs that relationships are no longer safe. Kids can write journal entries, skits, or short stories that illustrate the ideas or themes you are sharing. Some other topics you could focus on, either now or in the future, are:
- The glamorization of violence in our society
- Traditional definitions of masculinity (focusing toughness, force, and physicality vs. tenderness, warmth, and understanding)
- Traditional definitions of femininity (focusing on appearance and sexuality vs. intelligence, power, and equality)
- Prejudice and misunderstanding regarding gay, lesbian, or transgendered youth
Guide kids in discussions and exploratory activities around these themes and how they may influence sexual violence in our society.
 |
