Emotion-evoking pop duo JENESIA have a message of hope for your students to realize that they are not alone in facing childhood trauma. Lead guitarist, Alexander David, delivers a personal account of surviving nearly a decade of childhood sexual abuse in silence before sharing his story and finding healing. The presentation encourages students to tell their story and to be a voice for their peers.
“Everyone has a story, what’s yours?”
Why focus on childhood sexual abuse?
1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused in North America. The exact number is hard to determine because many cases are not reported to authorities. Of adults who receive mental health services, it’s thought that as many as 50% of women and 25% of men have experienced childhood sexual abuse.
Victims of childhood sexual abuse are at higher risk for:
MENTAL HEALTH: Anxiety disorders (PTSD), depression, self-harm, eating disorders, dissociative disorders and suicide.
SUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMS: Abuse of alcohol and drugs.
RE-VICTIMIZATION: Victims are 2 to 3 times more likely to experience abuse as adults.
PROSTITUTION: 76% of prostitutes have a history of childhood sexual abuse.
DIFFICULT INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: Sexual dysfunction, distrust and poor self-esteem.
SOCIETAL CONSEQUENCES: Financial costs to the judicial system, social services, education and healthcare.
What about follow-up?
We’ve got you covered! Alongside the assembly presentations, Jenesa Dawn is also providing much needed education for school staff in the form of the Prevent It! Workshop. Ideally between 5-30 staff members at each school will have the opportunity to take the 3-hour course to learn about awareness, prevention and treatment of childhood sexual abuse. The Prevent It! Workshop was developed by researchers in the department of Psychiatry at the University of Alberta, utilizing leading scientific evidence. The aim of the workshop is to teach adults about child sexual abuse, with a focus on helping adults develop tools to reduce children's vulnerability to sexual abuse. The workshop educates participants to STOP child sexual abuse by using the following steps: Study, Talk, Observe and Prepare for action.
The results of an extensive study published by the Frontiers of Psychology suggest that at the three-month follow up after completing the workshop, there were highly significant improvements in several aspects of behaviour and knowledge, and attitudes regarding child sexual abuse. This way multiple staff will be equipped to handle any disclosures of abuse that may surface in the days/weeks following the assembly presentation. Each participating staff member will receive an interactive workbook and a certificate of completion. Together we can help the most vulnerable in our communities.
Health Canada, Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, Information from the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, 1993