Sexual abuse toolkit: key principles in teaching and learning about anti-abuse

The sexualisation of children and young people has increased considerably in recent years, as has the understanding and recognition of the significance of this. It is the duty of schools and teachers to ensure that pupils across all key stages are equipped with the knowledge, skills and understanding that will build their capacity to:

• have a moral, respectful and positive-relationship approach in their personal life
• be able to recognise risk and adopt safeguarding behaviours for themselves and others
• understand how the law applies to behaviours and/or experiences

The introduction of mandatory RSHE provides a perfect context for such teaching, and the wider curriculum can both reinforce this learning and develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to grow pupils into good citizens.

Appropriateness of age and stage when addressing relationship abuse and sexual harassment can be complex. It is worth considering that risk and adversity do not wait for children and young people to reach particular ages or key stages, so it is important for schools and teachers to be ambitious and bold in maximising learning opportunities that will support children and young people. Wherever possible, teachers and leaders should endeavour to ensure that children and young people have the skills, knowledge and understanding they need before they become vulnerable or at risk.

Both internet consumption and face to face experiences can transform the ‘stage’ of many of our pupils across key stages. For example, children and young people are certainly sexualised by their consumption of 18-rated games, pornography and requests for nudes. Unmediated exposure to such experiences negatively influences the developing values and assumptions of young consumers.

Pupil voice work has been undertaken recently in Hertfordshire secondary schools:

A year 10 girl explained,

“Boys tend to use girls when they are girlfriends. Like they strangle you and stuff.”

Repeated casual sexual harassment can lead young people to ‘usualise’ it and assume there is nothing that can be done.

Year 8 and 9 students said,

“When you get touched moving around the school the boys always say it was an accident.”

“Yeah, there’s no point saying anything.”

“The boys aren’t educated enough. They don’t show any respect.”

Teaching may need to be more direct than it has been previously, to reflect such comments.

One year 9 student said,

“[Teachers] wouldn’t use the word groped, like you did. They would never be that direct. They don’t treat it seriously. They talk about consent like it’s a cup of tea. Like we aren’t having any problems so they don’t need to use the words. But we are.”

Consider this alongside studies showing that brain development around the response to risk continues to evolve up to the age of 25, and we can see the challenge in some of this learning for those of school-age. It is important that teachers and leaders do all they can to challenge and prevent negative learning and experiences which pupils may face day to day.. The fact is that our pupils continue to experience pressure, abuse and criminal assault and/or are drawn into pressuring, abusing and/or exploiting others.

Repetition of the learning and its application in deeper and deeper contexts can form into life-enhancing habits. To be most effective, a spiral curriculum approach should be adopted: revisiting and reinforcing prior learning and progressively building new skills, attitudes and understanding.

It will be important to identify individuals and groups with heightened vulnerability and to check that messages have been understood. A learning outcomes framework can help monitor and develop teaching, learning and assessment of anti-abuse. Every pupil must see the relevance of anti-abuse learning outcomes to them. In preparing and delivering anti-abuse curriculum content, teachers should plan to address the needs of pupils who may fall within the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 and others who are vulnerable. Of course, individuals may have multiple ‘vulnerabilities’ and indeed some vulnerabilities can lead to others.

Teachers, at all key stages, should consider how to ensure each lesson is applicable to, accessible by and representative of all children and young people, including:

• those from BAME groups
• those who are or will be lesbian, gay, bisexual, non-binary and transgender
• those from different religious groups and/or belief systems
• those who have learning difficulties or disabilities
• those who have experienced disrupted parenting/care and those who are ‘looked after’
• those whose childhood experiences have led to difficulties with attachment and trust
• those whose vulnerability is increased due to an unfulfilled need for love or a belief that love is qualified
• those who lack confidence, self-esteem and self-belief
• those whose experiences and needs have made them more vulnerable to messages of hate or to manipulation by those wishing to exploit them
• those whose experiences make them currently vulnerable, e.g. due to family break up, bereavement, physical or mental health challenges or exposure to abuse in the family
• those who have recently arrived in the country as refugees/unaccompanied minors
• those with mental ill-health

The list above is not exhaustive, but should be considered in order to ensure teaching and learning is sensitive to the needs of all those in our care. Of course, circumstances and identities change through life and all pupils should understand that the anti-abuse skills and messages we teach them are for everyone, all the time and throughout their lives, regardless of circumstances. It is vital that learning is meaningful to every child and young person now and in the future.

Vital underlying principles to the work

All teaching intended to reduce vulnerability and prevent abuse must also attend to the underlying need to eradicate ‘victim blaming’ or ‘self-blame’. When encouraging young people to recognise what might make them and others vulnerable, how to respond in difficult situations, and how to access help, teachers should help pupils understand that if they fail to apply this learning, they are not responsible for their experiences. No-one who experiences harassment or abuse should think they are at fault for not doing something they have been taught. Indeed, sometimes it is necessary to just cope, however possible, in order to survive.

The following core messages should also underpin our teaching of anti-abuse:

• bad things happen in life but you can survive and recover; accessing help and support may accelerate the healing process;
• if the support you are accessing hasn’t helped, seek other support, again and again;
• everyone makes bad choices sometimes but you can learn from mistakes and forgive yourself for making them;
• when people are manipulated, harmed or abused by others it is NEVER their fault or something they deserve or must expect;
• never let worry, fear, threats, shame or loyalty stop you from getting the support you need ;
• it is never too late to get help.

Learning outcomes

Adapted from ‘The Anti-abuse Curriculum’ by Karin Hutchinson.
Email: wellbeing@hfleducation.org