Thank you all for joining me today! Let’s go ahead and get started. Before we dive in, though, I need to lay a few ground rules for today, OK? 1.) I need your attention. Please be quiet and pay attention. 2.) We are going to be talking about a serious issue today – none of this is a joke. It is serious and not a laughing matter. 3.) ANYONE who disrupts this discussion will be pulled out and dealt with accordingly. I need to repeat: I need your attention. I need you to take this seriously. And anyone who disrupts this discussion in any way will be asked to leave and dealt with accordingly. Are we all on the same page? Let me hear you say, “Yes!” *Encourage the students to say “Yes!”* OK, great. Thank you for that. Let’s dive in. to start, I want to make an exciting announcement that is going to help make us a better school.

We are now a Step Up. Step In. School! Our school has joined a campaign called “Step Up. Step In.” That’s why we are here today, as part of the campaign. “Step Up. Step In.” was created by the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault. The campaign was created because those two organizations heard from schools just like us – and from students, just like you – who said they need help solving a particular problem. We’re here today to talk about that problem.

And we need YOUR help! To create a better school culture And it’s a problem that requires YOUR help. We as a school have committed to it. But we need you to commit to this, too. So we’re kicking it off today and, when we all walk away from here, I want you to keep what you learned in your minds. So that we have a better school culture; treat each other more respectfully; and stop certain behaviors from happening. Those behaviors are what we’re going to talk about today. To create a better school culture To treat each other more respectfully To stop certain behaviors from happening

Raise Your Hands If you have ever been … Picked on Flirted with in a way that made you uncomfortable The subject of a rumor Teased or joked with in a way that didn’t seem funny Bullied All right, I need to hear from you. I want to see hands. How many of you have ever been: Picked on? Raise your hands. Let’s see. How many of you have been flirted with in a way that made you feel uncomfortable? Maybe it was too forceful? Maybe someone wouldn’t leave you alone? Let’s see your hands. All right. How about the subject of a rumor? Other people talking about you behind your backs? Let’s see your hands. How about teased or joked with – but you didn’t find it funny? Like, maybe someone was laughing at you instead of laughing with you? Show me your hands. How about bullied? How many of you have ever been bullied? Raise your hands.

Who’s Surprised by how many people raised their hands? That’s why we’re here today. So that fewer hands will be raised when we ask these questions. Are you surprised at how many hands were raised? A lot of students your age deal with these things, but the truth is – they shouldn’t be dealing with those things because they shouldn’t be happening. We’re here to start fixing this problem at our school. In fact, we don’t want any hands to be raised when we ask these questions.

A Specific Kind of Bullying Stop Sexual Bullying Sexual words, acts, images, threats, or any other behavior in any manner that distress, harm, taunt, demean, humiliate, and/or embarrass a peer who does not welcome, encourage, or want to participate in the exchange. So everybody knows what bullying is. Does everybody know what bullying is? Can you give me some examples of bullying? Let’s talk about it. You also already know it’s wrong, and you know you should not be doing it to anyone. We’re here today to talk about a specific type of bullying called sexual bullying. Sexual bullying can be a little tricky because you might not realize you’re doing it – and you might not even realize it’s happening to you. But by the time you leave here today, you’ll know what it is so you know not to do it to other people – and what to do if sexual bullying happens to you.

What is Sexual Bullying? Sexual photos / sexting Name calling Teasing someone for perceived sexuality Spreading rumors Sexual conversations Suggestive comments Groping/grabbing others And more So what IS sexual bullying? Well, it’s a lot of things. Sexual bullying happens when you turn something sexual – like a conversation or a picture – and use it to distress, taunt, harm, embarrass or humiliate someone else. Sexual bullying can include (scale all examples so they are age-appropriate for your audience and student population): Sending sexual photos / sexting Calling someone a name – like “slut” or other derogatory terms Teasing someone – like saying someone is “so gay” Spreading rumors – saying that so-and-so kissed so-and-so Constantly keeping sex front and center during conversations or making suggestive, lewd comments Groping and grabbing others And others … These are a few examples of sexual bullying. What else do you think could be sexual bullying? Keep in mind: We’re talking about acts that occur between students. Between you in the audience. Anyone want to offer their thoughts? *Allow for discussion*

How Do We Stop Sexual Bullying? All right, now that you have an idea of what sexual bullying is – let’s talk about how we can stop it from happening. This is where I really need you to listen up. Like I said, sexual bullying is one of those things that you may not even realize you are doing! Are you ready to hear how we are going to stop sexual bullying?

How Do We Stop Sexual Bullying? By knowing what sexual bullying is – and by understanding it is wrong Sexual bullying is not funny Sexual bullying is not teasing Sexual bullying is not flirting Sexual bullying is not a joke By not doing it, participating in it, or encouraging it By stopping it when we see others being sexually bullied – and by knowing what to do when it happens to you Stop We are going to stop sexual bullying as a school – because now, you all have a better idea of what sexual is. And you are going to stop doing it to each other. I need you to commit right now to know that this type of behavior is: NOT funny NOT teasing NOT flirting And it is definitely NOT a joke. And it will not be tolerated at our school. Sexual bullying is very, very serious – just as serious as the traditional bullying that you have learned about. And we are going to stop sexual bullying because I hope you all will commit to not doing it to each other, not participate in it, not encourage it – and stop it however you can when you see others are being sexually bullied.

What Can You Do? The Do’s and Don’ts So let’s talk about this in more detail, OK? What can you do to stop sexual bullying?

Don’t Do not sext – including taking, sending, forwarding or posting any sexual photos of yourself or others. What if it’s sent to me? Don’t send, forward, or post any sexually explicit photos you receive Tell a trusted adult Let’s go through some “don’ts.” Do not sext! First of all, all of you (or “most of you” if a high school audience) are legally underage. Sexual pictures of you – even if you take them yourself – is a crime. Sending them to someone else is also a crime. So do not send sexual pictures of yourselves to anyone, ever. Also, if you happen to receive a sexual picture of someone else, do not send, forward or post it anywhere. The person in the picture you received is a victim of sexual bullying – and, like I said before, you having that picture is a crime. And sending or posting it is another crime. Do not do this. If you receive a picture of this nature, tell a trusted adult immediately. This can be a teacher or your parent. Do not be embarrassed. But do get an adult to help. And remember: sexting – whether it’s a picture of yourself or a picture of someone else – is a form of sexual bullying. And this particular form of sexual bullying is punishable by law. Do not do it. Questions? *Allow for questions/answers* *Local law enforcement could also be on hand to answer sensitive questions about this topic.*

Don’t Do not use social media or mobile apps to write sexual, derogatory, nasty, mean, untrue or any kind of negative message about anyone else. What if it’s happening to me? Do not be embarrassed! Immediately take what you see to a trusted adult – do not try to handle it alone All right, let’s talk about Facebook and Twitter – social media. Let’s also talk about those things you use on your phones and tablets to talk to each other – mobile apps. Sexual bullying can take place here very quickly. Do not use social media sites like Facebook or Twitter or any others to post sexual comments or pictures of yourself or anyone else. Remember those pictures we just talked about? It’s a crime to possess them – and another crime to post them anywhere. Don’t do it. Comments you post on these sites and apps can also be very nasty. Do not get on there and talk about other people, call them names, or spread rumors – do not do it! When you do, you are sexually bullying someone else, and it could even be considered a form of harassment that warrants the attention of law enforcement. If you see someone – or even a group of people – are posting sexual pictures and/or making sexual comments about one of your classmates, tell a trusted adult immediately so they can help. You can also tell any friends who are participating in this type of behavior to stop it – that it’s mean and disrespectful to the person they are posting about. But again, if you aren’t comfortable doing that, tell an adult immediately so they can help. *Allow for questions/answers* *Local law enforcement could also be on hand to answer sensitive questions about this topic.*

Don’t Do not call anyone names or derogatory terms – do not or try to shame them based on rumors, perceived sexuality, or for any other reason. What if it happens to me? Tell them to stop Tell a trusted adult if it continues Here’s another form of sexual bullying that everyone needs to stop doing right now – calling people derogatory names and trying to shame them based on rumors, perceived sexuality, or for any other reason. Do not (scale examples to age-appropriateness of your audience): Call someone a slut … Call someone a ho … Call someone gay … Or pick on someone because you think he or she is gay – or even if he or she has said they are gay … Tease someone for being a virgin … Spread rumors about someone not being a virgin … And the list goes on. This is sexual bullying. Basically, if you don’t have something kind, encouraging or helpful to say to someone or about someone, then you probably do not need to say it. Let’s talk about this some more. What questions do you have? *Allow for questions/answers* *School’s sex educator could also be on hand to answer sensitive questions about this topic.*

Don’t Do not spread sexual rumors about anyone. Let the rumor stop with you. Ask for help! Tell a trusted adult if a rumor is being spread about you or a classmate. Continuing our conversation about the types of conversations that are acceptable, let’s talk about one conversation I know a lot of you have – rumors and gossip, especially when it comes to sex. Spreading sexual rumors about anyone is wrong, and it is a form of sexual bullying. Do not do this. Spreading rumors and gossip about someone’s sexuality is also a form of sexual bullying – don’t do this either. Rumors are particularly harmful because they can spread from one person to the next – and then make their way to social media and apps. They really can ruin someone’s life. But the person or people who are in the wrong here, is the person or people who are spreading rumors and spreading gossip – whether they’re whispering in a friend’s ear or posting somewhere. Spreading sexual rumors or gossip about someone is sexual bullying. Do not do it. And if someone tries to engage you in sexual gossip about someone else, tell them to stop – you can help put an end to it. If you find you are the subject of a sexual rumor or gossip, do not be embarrassed and do not try to handle it alone. Ask a trusted adult for help. Questions? *Questions/answers*

Don’t Do not flirt with anyone forcefully and in a way that seems to make them uncomfortable. What if it happens to me? Tell the other person to stop and leave you alone If they persist, tell a trusted adult Now let’s talk about flirting – I know a lot of you think you’re pretty good at flirting, right? But we know from a lot of research that often when you think you’re flirting, the person you’re flirting with doesn’t want any part of it – especially if it involves sexual undertones. The person you’re flirting with often wants you to leave them alone. Sending a sexual picture is not flirting. Snapping someone’s undergarment is not flirting. Touching and groping someone inappropriately is not flirting. Calling someone a derogatory name is not flirting. All of these examples are sexual bullying. Do not do them. There are other ways to express you affections for someone. If you aren’t sure how to go about it, talk to your parents or other trusted adults in your life. Talk to older siblings or cousins or friends who you know will give you good advice. If someone tells you to stop doing something to them, stop doing it. If someone won’t leave you alone, even after you’ve told them to more than once to leave you alone, then tell a trusted adult. And remember: you can intervene! Meaning if you see someone bothering someone else, you can always step in and tell that person to stop – but only do that if you feel it is safe to do so. If it doesn’t feel safe, tell someone who can help you. Questions? *Questions/Answers*

Don’t Do not touch or grope anyone – keep your hands to yourself. What if it happens to me? Step away Tell the other person to stop and to leave you alone If they persist, tell a trusted adult Keep your hands to yourself – do not touch or grope anybody. Let me repeat: Keep your hands to yourself. Do not touch or grope anyone. It may seem like you’re flirting or playing with someone, but that’s not always the case. Especially if they tell you to stop. If someone tells you to stop, and you keep doing it, you are definitely sexually bullying them. Touching and groping are among the most common types of sexual bullying. Do not do it. If someone persists in touching you – even after you’ve told them to stop – tell a trusted adult for help. Or, if you see someone touching or groping someone else – and it’s clear the person being touched is uncomfortable and doesn’t want any part of it – you can step in and stop it, but only if you feel safe doing so. If you don’t feel safe, tell a trusted adult what you saw, and ask them for help. Questions? *Questions/Answers*

Don’t Do not make sexually suggestive comments to anyone. What if it happens to me? Walk away Tell the other person to stop and to leave you alone If they persist, tell a trusted adult Another form of sexual bullying happens when you making sexually suggestive comments to someone. Think about it like this: If you wouldn’t say it to your parents … if you wouldn’t say it to a teacher … if you wouldn’t say it to any adult … then you should not be saying it to anyone else. And this doesn’t just have to be in person. Sexually suggestive comments can take place in a text message, in a Facebook message, on Twitter, or any other way electronically. This is all considered sexual bullying – do not do it, especially if someone tells you to stop. If someone is persistent in making sexually suggestive comments to you – and you’ve told them more than once to stop – tell a trusted adult so they can help. Or, if you see a friend or anyone talking to someone in a way that they obviously should not, you can intervene – and tell them to stop. But only do this if you feel it is safe to do so. If you don’t feel like it’s safe, then tell a trusted adult for help. Questions? *Questions/Answers*

What Else Can You Do? Get help! Tell an adult Intervene If it happens to you If you observe it happening to someone else If you suspect or hear about it happening to someone else Intervene When you feel comfortable doing so Do not participate in or encourage any form of sexual bullying All right, now that you have a better idea of what sexual bullying is – you should now be in a place that you can stop yourself from doing it to other people. But besides not sexually bullying others, there are other ways we can stop this from happening at our school – and this is also where we need your help. #1: If you are being sexually bullied – or if you see or suspect it is happening to someone else – tell a trusted adult. Get help! #2: Intervene – meaning actually stop the act from occurring. You can tell a friend to leave someone else alone. You can tell a classmate to leave someone else alone. You an stand up for the person who is being sexually bullied. But you may not always feel safe doing so – I understand that. If you want to help, but don’t feel safe intervening directly, tell a trusted adult. Get help! #3: This is something we can all do. In addition to not sexually bulling anyone, you can also not encourage it – don’t participate in it, even casually. Don’t laugh at it because that only encourages it. Don’t support it in any way. What other ways can we stop sexual bullying? What questions do you have? *Questions/Answers*

Questions and Answers This concludes the presentation, but I know we have talked about a lot of things here today. I’d like to take some of your questions now. Raise your hands if you have a question. Or, if you aren’t comfortable asking it, use the pencil and piece of paper provided to write down your question – and we’ll come around and collect them. Nobody will know you asked it. *Questions/Answers* *Consider having local law enforcement, health educators, and other subject matter experts to help answer the variety of questions that could arise during this portion of the discussion*

Take the First Step Sign the Step Up. Step In. pledge and commit to: Stopping sexual bullying Not encouraging or participating in sexual bullying Helping others who are sexually bullied by intervening, telling a trusted adult or other ways Always treating each other with respect And understanding that your actions can and will have consequences Thank you all for being here today and for taking this seriously. Sexual bullying a serious issue, and we as a school are committed to stopping it from happening here. When you get back to your class, your teachers will have a Step Up. Step In. Pledge that we hope you will sign – help show us you are serious in stopping sexual bullying at our school. And for understanding that we do not tolerate it and that there are consequences to your actions. And remember – speak up, and ask for help if someone is sexually bullying you! Thank you all again. This concludes our assembly. *Ensure a distribution / collection method for the pledge certificates has been developed in advance of the assembly – for ease, they could all be distributed out of homerooms. Signed forms should be collected and filed centrally for measurement and future use. (e.g. Report the number of signed pledges to help measure the effectiveness of the assembly. The school can also promote the number of students who took the Step Up. Step In. Pledge.)*