STAYING SAFE PART 4: SEXUAL ABUSE

Community Agreements  Respect  I Statements  Ask Questions  Confidentiality  Step Up/Step Back  One Mic  Take Care of Yourself  Reporting

Zero Tolerance  FACILITY does not tolerate any behavior that makes a resident feel unsafe here  Anyone who reports abuse will be protected  Anyone who is abusive will be held accountable

Types of Bullying  Physical  Verbal  Relational  Cyber  Sexual  Prejudicial

Vocabulary  Victim Blaming  Consent  Sexual Abuse

What is Consent?  When a person voluntarily, willingly, and freely agrees to engage in an activity

A Few Things About Consent  You have the right to decide when you do it, where you do it, and how to do it  You have the right to change your mind at any point and the sexual activity has to stop  Trying to turn someone's “no” into an “ok, I guess so” is coercion. Coercion is when someone keeps trying or asking or starts threatening or bribing.

A Few More Things About Consent  If you want sexual activity or a relationship to stop, but the other person won’t let you, that counts abuse  Something can be abusive even if it starts off as consensual  You can get help — even if you broke a rule  You’re safety is the most important thing

Who Cannot Consent?  Someone intoxicated (drunk or high)  Someone asleep or sleepy  Minors  Someone who has a duty (teacher/student, staff/resident, correction officer/inmate)

Consent or Not?

What is Sexual Abuse?  Touching a resident’s private parts  Putting private parts inside a resident’s body  Kissing or sexual touching a resident  Showing private parts to a resident

What is Sexual Abuse?  Staring in a sexual way at a resident who is using the toilet, changing, or showering  Taking pictures of a resident’s naked body  Threatening, tricking, or bullying a resident into sexual activity  Forcing a resident to have sex

Who Can Commit Sexual Abuse?  Anyone  Residents  Staff  Nurses  Counselors  Probation Officers  Volunteers

Yarn Exercise

How to Prevent Sexual Abuse  Pay attention to your gut.  Be aware of anyone who tries too hard to befriend you  Avoid getting into debt with other residents  Stay close to your support system  Stay out of “the drama”  Identify staff you trust

What to Do if You are Sexually Abused ?  Remember sexual abuse is never your fault.  Know it’s OK to feel whatever you’re feeling  Tell someone you trust  File a report/grievance

How to Get Help  File a grievance  Tell any staff at the facility  Tell anyone on your authorized phone/mail list  Call or write [FN: Insert name and contact information of outside referral organization here]  [FN: Insert any other ways to get help here ie call hotline or put note in dropbox]

What Happens if I Report?  FACILITY will take your report seriously and investigate it  FACILITY will take steps to make sure you are as safe as possible from further abuse  FACILITY will make best efforts to protect your confidentiality  You will be provided with free medical care  You will be provided with free mental health care  You will be able to talk to an outside counselor for free

 You can get free emergency and follow up medical and mental health care, even if you’re not ready to report who committed the abuse against you. What if I’m Not Ready to Tell?