HOPE — Flat Rock-Hawcreek is believed to be among the first Indiana school corporations to adopt a new abuse prevention curriculum.
Titled “Safer, Smarter Schools,” the curriculum is intended to empower children and teach them they have the ability to protect themselves from abuse, said Alisha Lewis, director of the Johnson County-based nonprofit “Strive To Make An Impact.” Her organization works to increase awareness about sexual abuse, seek prevention through education and to advocate for abuse survivors,
The lessons were developed by Lauren Book, who has a master’s degree in community psychology and is a sexual abuse survivor, Lewis said.
Book, who is also a senator in the Florida Legislature, utilized a team of career educators, as well as a developmental psychologist, to develop the curriculum.
“Safer, Smarter Schools” includes five to eight, 30 minute age-appropriate lessons for children from pre-kindergarten through high school. While not well-known throughout all of Indiana’s 92 counties, these lessons have become a mandatory part of education in Florida’s public schools, Lewis said.
While Flat Rock-Hawcreek may be the first corporation to use “Safer, Smarter Schools” at all schools, it may not be the only one. That’s because the evidence-based curriculum satisfies requirements of a 2017 state law calling for schools to develop models for response policies regarding child abuse and child sexual abuse, as well as reporting procedures.
No tax dollars involved
Efforts to obtaining private funding for the curriculum was led by the Students’ Fund of Hope, which was founded last year by Hope residents Whitney Budd and Stephanie Long. Their charity was created to raise money to pay school-related expenses for Hope children from financially-disadvantaged families.
To purchase the curriculum, the Students’ Fund obtained $1,000 from the Roger and Lori Eng Gift and Endowment Fund, $1,300 from Lewis’ nonprofit and invested $1,300 of their own money, Budd said. All the materials were presented to the school district on Friday, she said.
Budd said she has seen first-hand the baggage several Hope-area children bring to school, and understands how difficult it is for them to focus on academics while experiencing trauma or anxiety that stems from their abuse.
“We wanted to combat this in a different way and equip our teachers and students with the tools to foster healing, advocacy for their peers, and preventative ways to empower them to protect themselves,” Budd said.
Lewis, who said she was abused as a teenager, said too many kids won’t tell others about their mistreatment — something she says has to change. But it is difficult because 90% of sexual abuse is committed by someone the child knows or trusts, Lewis said.
“The ‘stranger danger’ message is becoming a bit outdated,” Lewis said.
Kids who are abused are also frequently afraid to talk out of fear of getting into trouble or angering their parents, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).
Abusers tend to isolate their victims and making them feel nobody else will trust them, Lewis said. Those feelings may become stronger if other family members go into denial, and refuse to believe the abuse is real, she said.
Age-appropriate lessons
At the grade school level, the curriculum is designed to teach children to stay safe in language that is easily understood. During interactive lessons, kids are taught to identify “safe” and “unsafe” situations, people, and secrets — based on how each of these things make them feel, according to the curriculum website.
They are also taught to set up a “trust triangle,” which means selecting three adults the child feels they can talk to about sensitive issues. At least one person in that triangle must be outside the child’s family, Lewis said. “Body boundarie” are also established, which teaches children it’s is all right to tell a person “no” if they are being touched in a way that makes them uncomfortable, she said.
In middle-school, the students are taught to recognize their personal power and use it to protect themselves and their peers. At this stage, the students also learn about the warning signs of unsafe situations and what actions they can take to reduce risks, stay safe and access help, Lewis said. Since relationships change over time, middle-school students are asked to reevaluate their trust triangle and make adjustments if necessary, she said.
And for those in high school, the qualities of empathy and good citizenship are more heavily emphasized in the curriculum, Lewis said.
Older teens may hear accounts from victims of sexual abuse regarding their experiences. At this level, there is also an emphasis on advocating for others, as well as discussions on more mature topics such as date safety.
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Parents are urged to teach young children the language they need to talk about their bodies and information about boundaries at a young age. These lessons are intended to help children know when something isn’t right, and give them the power to speak up.
- Teach children the names of their body parts. They may find it easier to ask questions and express concerns about those parts.
- Some parts of the body are private. Let children know that other people shouldn’t touch or look at them.
- It’s OK to say “no.” It’s important to let children know they are allowed to say “no” to touches that make them uncomfortable.
- Talk about secrets. Perpetrators will often use secret-keeping to manipulate children. Let children know they can always talk to you.
- Young children often fear getting in trouble or upsetting their parents by asking questions or talking about their experiences. Reassure them that they won’t get in trouble.
- Show them what it looks like to do the right thing. It could be as simple as helping an elderly person get off a bus or picking up change that someone has dropped on the ground.
- When they come to you with something they feel is important, give them your undivided attention, and let them know you take their concerns seriously. They may be more likely to come to you in the future if they know their voice will be heard.
Source: Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)
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Since it was established in July 2018, the Students’ Fund of Hope has raised more than $17,000 to help students enrolled in the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp.
The organization’s stated goal is to alleviate any burden a child might carry that is out of their control so that they can first focus on their education. Most of the needs addressed by the fund are requested by teachers and staff in the Hope-area schools.
Those wishing to donate can visit any First Financial Bank and ask for their contribution to be deposited into the “Students’ Fund of Hope” account.
More information is also available online at the organization’s Facebook page.
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