My Body is MineToday’s topic is a hard one, because we’re going to talk about abuse: sexual, physical, verbal and emotional. Many people have experienced or witnessed abuse in their lives, some even in their homes. While it’s hard for anyone to talk about abuse, for these people it may be even harder. That’s why it’s important to take care of ourselves during this discussion – if you find yourself getting upset, take a break from the lesson to calm down. And remember, you can always talk to your parents, teacher, or a trusted adult if you need more support.
Abuse is a sad part of human interaction. It is the unfair use of power over someone else. That power can be physical, or the power of authority or age, or economic power, or the power created by gender inequality. While we cannot always even out the power in our relationships, it is important to remember that no one has the right to abuse another person. That means that no one has the right to manipulate another person through emotional blackmail, coercion, or physical force. As adolescents, we have the right to be protected from abuse, and during today’s lesson we’re going to talk about how to exercise that right.