Extension Activities
This section has been designed to include extension activities to the activities contained in the
main pack. The activities in this section can also be used instead of those in the main pack to
make the session more interactive.
Please note that the outcomes for the activities mirror those of the corresponding activities in
the main pack unless there are supplementary outcomes which will be included below.
Healthy Relationships Section
Activity 1: Healthy Relationships Quiz (10 minutes)
Explain to the young people that they are going to think about healthy relationships and to discuss
what behaviours are abusive and unacceptable.
Rationale:
This exercise allows young people to think about their own relationships and to think about
whether their partner’s actions are healthy or unhealthy. They can also use to the quiz to answer
from the point of view of the characters in the film or their friend if they are not in a relationship.
Resources/ Knowledge Required:
 Healthy Relationships quiz (photocopied)
 Ability to challenge unhealthy attitudes
Method:
1. Distribute the Healthy Relationships Quiz (see below)
2. Ask the young people to complete the questionnaire and discuss
3. Ask if they recognised that the elements in bold are elements of a healthy relationship and the
non-bold are unhealthy.
Healthy Relationship Quiz
Healthy Relationship Quiz (based on Expect Respect leaflets)
Are you being treated right in your relationship? Tick all that apply:
My boyfriend or girlfriend
Likes me just as I am
Won’t let me talk to other people
Respects my opinions and beliefs
Doesn’t let me spend any time with my friends or family
Is fine if I say no to anything
Forces me to do things I don’t want to
Makes me feel bad about myself
Is happy for me to make my own decisions
Criticises me and puts me down
Solves arguments with discussion and compromise
Scares me or hurts me
Is happy for me to hang out with my mates whenever I want
Threatens to hurt themselves or me if we break up
Makes me feel good about myself
What do you think? Did you guess that the answers in bold are elements of a healthy relationship?
2
Activity 2: Expect Respect Booklets (between 10 and 30 minutes depending on the class)
The Expect Respect booklets are part of Women’s Aid’s wider Expect respect campaign launched
in 2007 which aims to prevent domestic abuse in teenage relationships and to help teenage
victims to get support. The booklet contains information about healthy relationships, showing
respect to others and what to do if you are experiencing abuse.
Rationale:
This exercise allows young people to think about relationships and to begin to understand the
difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships
Resources/Knowledge Needed:
 Expect Respect booklets which can be downloaded from the free resources section on
Women’s Aid’s website – www.womensaid.org.uk
 Ability to challenge unhealthy attitudes
Method:
1. Distribute the Expect Respect booklets
2. Ask the young people to read the booklets and to discuss the content. Do they feel that it
helps? Does the booklet give them more confidence to know how to support themselves or a
friend with healthy relationships?
Activity 3: Healthy or Unhealthy? (10 minutes)
This exercise is designed to help young people to recognise what is an unhealthy relationship and
what is a healthy relationship through the use of scenario based cards. The cards have statements
on them and the young people have to decide whether they are healthy or unhealthy or unsure.
Rationale:
The idea behind this exercise is to help young people to discuss whether actions of others are
healthy, unhealthy or if they are not sure. It also provides an opportunity to think about their own
attitudes and behaviours.
Resources/Knowledge Needed
 Healthy/Unhealthy cards cut up
 Ability to challenge negative attitudes
 Scissors
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
Cut up and distribute the healthy/unhealthy cards
Ask the young people to place them into 3 piles – healthy, unhealthy and unsure
Discuss the statements in small groups
Be prepared to challenge where there are any negative or unhealthy attitudes
3
Healthy or Unhealthy Relationship Cards
Your boyfriend/girlfriend is
jealous and possessive
He/she rings to check that you
arrived home safely
He/she is bossy and makes all the
decisions
He/she respects your limits and
boundaries
He/she doesn’t take your
opinions seriously.
He/she encourages you to have
other friends
He/she puts you down in front of
friends
You make decisions together
He/she scares you
You feel it is okay to disagree
You worry about his/her reactions You really listen to each other's
to things you say or do
viewpoints and feelings.
He/she threatens you
You negotiate when you have
He/she has a history of fighting
conflict - finding a way to
and loses his/her temper quickly
compromise so you both get what
you need.
You are happy to do things
separately
He/she grabs, pushes, shoves, or
hits you
You don't restrict or control each
other.
He/she pressures you for sex or is
forceful or scary about sex, saying
things like “if you loved me...”
He/she accepts your opinions
even when they do not agree
with you
He/she gets too serious about the
relationship too fast
You do not expect the other
person to solve all your problems
or give you everything you are
going to need
He/she misuses alcohol or other
drugs and tries to get you to take
them
You feel like you need to
apologise for his/her behaviour
when he/she treats you badly
He/she has a history of failed
relationships, but is convinced it
was never their fault and blames
the other person for all the
problems
He/she checks your mobile to see
who called/ who you have called
Your family and friends are
concerned for your safety
He/she is always checking up on
you, calling or texting you, and
demanding to know where you
have been and with whom
He/she accepts that you have
friends of the same and opposite
sex
He/she tries to control what you
wear, tell you what to wear or not
wear when you go out
4
Activity 4: Myths and Perceptions (10 minutes)
Rationale:
This exercise looks at the myths and perceptions that people have about domestic abuse in
teenage relationships. It allows the young people to explore their perceptions and to challenge
their understanding of the subject.
Resources/Knowledge Required:



Myths and Perceptions Worksheet
Myths and Perceptions answers
Ability to challenge myths and perceptions about domestic abuse
Method:
1. Distribute the worksheet and ask the young people to complete
2. In the whole group get feedback from the young people and discuss
3. Be prepared to challenge any attitudes or negative stereotyping.
5
Domestic Violence Quiz – Myths and Perceptions Worksheet
Statement
True or False?
1. Abuse rarely happens in teenage dating
relationships
2. Teenagers in abusive relationships find it
difficult to leave
3. Domestic abuse happens mostly to
females
4. Domestic abuse can happen even if
you’re not living together
5. Domestic abuse is defined by one
person being physically violent to the
other
6. Domestic abuse can happen in a samesex relationship as well as a
heterosexual relationship
7. If the police are called when a domestic
abuse incident has occurred, the victim
has to press charges for an arrest to
happen
8. Teenagers are likely to tell an adult
about abuse when it happens to them
6
Myths and Perceptions Answer Sheet
1. Abuse rarely happens in teenage dating relationships.
False - Young women between the ages of 16-24 are the most vulnerable to intimate partner
violence. In 2011/2012 30.5% of all women accommodated in Women’s Aid refuges were aged
between 16 and 25.
2. Teenagers in abusive relationships often find it difficult to leave
True - Young people do not find it easy to leave an abusive relationship (nor do adult survivors).
Young people stay in abusive relationships for lots of reasons ranging from love to fear. They may
be afraid of further abuse if they try to break up or get help. They may be worried that their
friends won’t believe them. They may have few friends or family and believe that they have no
one to turn to for help. They don’t want to have to change schools or college. They may also love
their boyfriend or girlfriend and just want to abuse to stop, not the relationship. They might also
be afraid of being alone.
3. Domestic abuse happens mostly to females.
True - It is impossible to know exact numbers but numerous studies reveal the reality that the
majority of victims are female; in heterosexual and same-sex relationships. However, men are also
reported to suffer in both same-sex and heterosexual relationships.
4. Domestic abuse can happen even if you are not living together
True – The pattern of coercive control and abusive behaviours that domestic violence is made up
of are counted as domestic abuse, regardless of whether they are married or living together.
5. Domestic abuse is defined by one person being physically violent to the other.
False - Dating violence is a pattern of abuse and controlling behaviours that one person uses
against another in order to gain or maintain power in the relationship. The abuser intentionally
behaves in ways that cause fear, degradation and humiliation to control the other person. Forms
of abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, financial and psychological.
6. Domestic abuse can occur in a same-sex relationship as well as a heterosexual relationship
True – Domestic abuse can happen to anyone regardless of whether they are heterosexual or
homosexual
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7. If the police are called when a domestic abuse incident has occurred, the victim has to press
charges for an arrest to happen
False - If the police believe that an assault has occurred (based on statements, possible witnesses,
demeanour of one or both parties, any property destruction, etc.) they can arrest the abuser
without the victim having to press charges against the abuser.
8. Teenagers are likely to tell an adult about domestic abuse when it happens to them.
False - Teenagers are usually reluctant to disclose they are a victim of abuse to adults because:
-
Resources may be unavailable to teenagers without parental involvement
They may not trust adults
They may fear losing autonomy or independence
They may feel they might get into trouble if they were doing something illegal like smoking
weed or drinking alcohol when the abuse occurred
They may fear the abuser will retaliate against them.
They may feel no one will believe them
They may feel others will blame them
They may believe they can stop the abuse themselves
They may fear reaction of parents
They may feel that even if they are believed, there will be a stigma attached to being a victim
and they may not want this type of attention.
They may fear being “outed” if they are in a same-sex relationship.
If teenagers disclose to anyone, it’s likely to be to a friend.
8
Activity 5: Rihanna/Chris Brown Transcript (20 minutes)
This activity examines the transcript of the domestic violence incident that occurred between
Rihanna and Chris Brown in 2009.
Rationale:
The response of the media and of social media was very unsupportive of Rihanna and the incident
was quickly trivialised by people. It highlights that negative attitudes to domestic abuse still exist
as many women posted on twitter how they would love Chris Brown to beat them (when he was
asked to sing at the Grammys in 2012) if it meant they could be his girlfriend. The exercise
provides an opportunity to look further into this serious incident and can be explored further with
the young people by asking why she returned to the relationship.
Resources/Knowledge Required




Police transcript (enclosed)
Twitter screenshots (provided)
Ability to challenge unhealthy attitudes
Information on why people do not leave/return to abusive relationships (contained within the
supporting resources section)
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Distribute the police transcript or play the video clip at the same time
Ask the young people who would want to be in this relationship
Ask whether it was Rihanna’s fault that Chris Brown beat her
Do you think it was the first incident?
Do you think Rihanna was scared of him?
Why would people on twitter defend Chris Brown?
Would you want to go out with him?
Why do you think Rihanna and Chris Brown got back together?
Why do you think people don’t leave abusive relationships or return to abusive relationships?
9
Chris Brown/Rihanna Police Transcript
Note: This is a transcript that was leaked to a number of celebrity websites. The transcript is
from the evidence of the Los Angeles Police Department during Chris Brown’s court cases. Robin
F is Rihanna as her real name is Robyn Fenty. The actual affidavit is available here:
http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/03/05/brown.warrant.pdf (last accessed 17.12.12)
"Brown was driving a vehicle with Robyn F. as the front passenger on an unknown street in Los
Angeles. Robyn F. picked up Brown’s cellular phone and observed a three-page text message from
a woman who Brown had a previous sexual relationship with.
A verbal argument ensued and Brown pulled the vehicle over on an unknown street, reached over
Robyn F. with his right hand, opened the car door and attempted to force her out. Brown was
unable to force Robyn F. out of the vehicle because she was wearing a seat belt. When he could
not force her to exit, he took his right hand and shoved her head against the passenger window of
the vehicle, causing an approximate one-inch raised circular contusion.
Robyn F. turned to face Brown and he punched her in the left eye with his right hand. He then
drove away in the vehicle and continued to punch her in the face with his right hand while
steering the vehicle with his left hand. The assault caused Robyn F.’s mouth to fill with blood and
blood to splatter all over her clothing and the interior of the vehicle.
Brown looked at Robyn F. and stated, 'I’m going to beat the sh– out of you when we get home!
You wait and see!'
The detective said “Robyn F.” then used her cell phone to call her personal assistant Jennifer
Rosales, who did not answer.
Robyn F. pretended to talk to her and stated, 'I’m on my way home. Make sure the police are
there when I get there.' After Robyn F. faked the call, Brown looked at her and stated, 'You just
did the stupidest thing ever! Now I’m really going to kill you!'
Brown resumed punching Robyn F. and she interlocked her fingers behind her head and brought
her elbows forward to protect her face. She then bent over at the waist, placing her elbows and
face near her lap in [an] attempt to protect her face and head from the barrage of punches being
levied upon her by Brown.
Brown continued to punch Robyn F. on her left arm and hand, causing her to suffer a contusion on
her left triceps (sic) that was approximately two inches in diameter and numerous contusions on
her left hand.
Robyn F. then attempted to send a text message to her other personal assistant, Melissa Ford.
Brown snatched the cellular telephone out of her hand and threw it out of the window onto an
unknown street.
Brown continued driving and Robyn F. observed his cellular telephone sitting in his lap. She picked
up the cellular telephone with her left hand and before she could make a call he placed her in a
head lock with his right hand and continued to drive the vehicle with his left hand.
10
Brown pulled Robyn F. close to him and bit her on her left ear. She was able to feel the vehicle
swerving from right to left as Brown sped away. He stopped the vehicle in front of 333 North June
Street and Robyn F. turned off the car, removed the key from the ignition and sat on it.
Brown did not know what she did with the key and began punching her in the face and arms. He
then placed her in a head lock positioning the front of her throat between his bicep and forearm.
Brown began applying pressure to Robyn F.’s left and right carotid arteries, causing her to be
unable to breathe and she began to lose consciousness.
She reached up with her left hand and began attempting to gouge his eyes in an attempt to free
herself. Brown bit her left ring and middle fingers and then released her. While Brown continued
to punch her, she turned around and placed her back against the passenger door. She brought her
knees to her chest, placed her feet against Brown’s body and began pushing him away. Brown
continued to punch her on the legs and feet, causing several contusions.
Robyn F. began screaming for help and Brown exited the vehicle and walked away. A resident in
the neighborhood heard Robyn F.’s plea for help and called 911, causing a police response. An
investigation was conducted and Robyn F. was issued a Domestic Violence Emergency Protective
Order.
11
Twitter Screen Shots
Note: The ‘tweets’ and messages
performance at the Grammys in
networking sites, Facebook and
Extremely Upsetting Reactions
www.buzzfeed.com
below are actual messages sent to Chris Brown during his
February 2012. The messages were left on social media
twitter. They were compiled for an article entitled ’25
to Chris Brown at the Grammys’ by the website
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13
14
15
16
17
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Source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/horrible-reactions-to-chris-brown-at-the-grammys
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Character Questions (Jake & Ellie)
Jake
Activity 6: Why do you make me do this? (15 minutes)
Perpetrators of domestic abuse will often use excuses and justifications for their behaviours – for
example ‘you made me do this’, ‘it was because I was drunk’. Domestic abuse is a deliberate
chosen behaviour of trying to gain power and control over a partner.
Rationale:
This exercise allows the students in small groups to think about the excuses and justifications that
people give for their abusive behaviour.
Resources/Knowledge required:
 Sticky notes and pens
 Ability to challenge unhealthy or negative attitudes
 Knowledge that it is never acceptable to be abusive (i.e. cheating, alcohol, drugs, upbringing
etc. are all used as excusing factors but domestic abuse is about choice).
Method:
1. Divide the students into small group of 3-5, depending on class size
2. Ask the small groups to write on sticky notes, an excuse for using abusive behaviour that they
might have seen on TV, in films, songs or in their own lives – for example ‘husband killed
nagging wife’ (where ‘nagging’ is an excusing factor in this case)
3. Get the small groups to feed back and discuss the categories that have been chosen.
When they have written up examples group them together under the following six headings:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Ways of denying that abuse has taken place
Ways of minimising the extent of abuse or impact on the victim
Ways of blaming someone else for the abusive behaviour
Ways of blaming something else for the abusive behaviour
Genuine reasons why it is ok to be abusive to a boyfriend/girlfriend
Other reasons
Source: This exercise is based on ‘Domestic Violence is never acceptable’, from the Westminster Domestic Violence Pack for
Schools written by Thangam Debbonaire.
20
Activity 7: Songs about domestic abuse (30 minutes)
There are lots of songs about domestic abuse – although much of the time unless people actually
listen to the lyrics or understand then it is not obvious. This activity provides a good opportunity
to explore domestic abuse through music.
Be prepared to have examples if the young people cannot find or do not think a song is abusive.
Examples of songs about domestic abuse include:
 Eminem/Rihanna – Love the way you lie
 Chase & Status – Let you Go
 Eminem - Kim
 Ashanti - Rain on Me
 Stevie Wonder & Baby Face - How Come, How Long
 Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl
 Pink - Family Portrait
 Kelly Clarkson - Because of you
 Shania Twain - Black Eyes blue tears
 Nickelback - Never Again
More examples of older songs/poems and literature can be found here:
http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-hits-keep-coming-30-songs-inspired-by-domestic,57741/
A fantastic example of an anti-domestic violence song is Five Bottles of Shampoo by the band The
King Blues
Rationale:
This exercise allows young people to explore domestic abuse through the use of music and
specifically songs about domestic abuse. This can be done in class or as a homework task to be
done before or after the main lesson plan.
Resources/Knowledge Needed:
 Songs about domestic abuse (see above)
 Ability to challenge unhealthy or negative attitudes
Method:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ask the young people to find songs about domestic abuse
See who can find the most obscure or least obvious ones
Are there specific genres of music which are more abusive than others?
Are there any songs that are anti-domestic abuse?
21
Activity 8: Right or Not Right? (10 minutes)
Rationale:
This game explores young people’s attitudes about what is right and what is not right in a
relationship – i.e. in this instance it is about working out whether someone is controlling or
whether it is ‘normal’ behaviour.
Resources/Knowledge needed
This game can be played in a number of ways depending on the space available. The questions can
be simply answered with Yes, No or depends; the young people can move to the left for right and
to the right for not right or the facilitator can place a line on the ground asking young people to
move from one side to the other depending on their answer
Method:
1. Place 3 pieces of paper on the floor with yes, no and depend on them (one word on each) or
designate 3 line across the room with the same statement
2. Explain that you are going to read out statements and the young people must move to the
word depending on whether they think that the action is abusive, not abusive or it depends.
3. Discuss where people have moved to and what they think about each statement











Your boyfriend texts you 50 times a day
Your boyfriend says you wear your red dress because you look hot in it
Your girlfriend stops you from hanging out with your friends
Your boyfriend teases you in a hurtful way then says it’s a joke
Your boyfriend insists on picking you up every day
Your girlfriend makes you have a location app turned on on your phone at all times, even
when you’re sleeping
Your boyfriend often walks past your house when you’re not together to check you’re where
you say you are
Your girlfriend tell you what to wear and who you can talk to
Your girlfriend suggests you should wear your leather jacket to a party
Your boyfriend checks your texts and emails
Your girlfriend asks if she can check her emails from your phone
22
Ellie
Activity 9: ‘Disappearing’ (15-60 minutes depending on the role play element)
The concept of disappearing is key throughout the film – Ellie disappears on a number of
occasions and completely at the end. This exercise is designed to explore this further and for the
students to think about what might have preceded the film for Ellie to be disappearing.
Note: Not all young people will feel comfortable performing a role play. This exercise may also
lead to disclosures from young people.
Rationale:
This exercise allows the young people to think about what the back story to Ellie and Jake’s
relationship is and to explore the reasons why Ellie is disappearing.
Resources/Knowledge Needed:


Ability to challenge unhealthy or negative attitudes
Ability to respond sensitively and effectively to disclosures of abuse.
Method:
1. Ask the young people to break into groups
2. Tell them that they are going to improvise what has happened in Jake and Ellie’s relationship
for Ellie to be disappearing
3. Get them to think about why she is disappearing – what does it mean to them?
4. Ask the young people to work out the back story to Ellie and Jake’s relationship
5. If the young people are comfortable, ask them to design a small role play.
Activity 10: Safety Planning (20 minutes)
Safety Planning is a vital part of the educational resource. We have included comprehensive steps
to take in the additional resources section of the pack. There is a sample safety plan in the
Supporting Resources section of the website.
Rationale:
This exercise allows young people to explore the concept of safety planning and to think about
how they would ensure that they were able to keep themselves safe from an abusive partner.
Resources/Knowledge Required:
 Sample blank safety plan (available in the Supporting Resources section of the website)
 Knowledge about safety planning (also available in the Supporting Resource section)
 Ability to challenge unhealthy or negative attitudes
23
Method:
1. Get the young people to brainstorm around the concept of safety – what does safety mean to
them? How do they keep themselves safe in a range of scenarios – at night, walking home
alone etc.?
2. Distribute the sample safety plan and ask the young people to complete it either for
themselves or for their best friend (or for Ellie, depending on the group)
3. Is there anything in the plan that surprised them?
4. Had they considered all of the different elements before?
5. What would they include/take out of the plan?
6. Is it relevant to them?
7. What elements are helpful to them?
8. How could having a safety plan have helped Ellie?
9. What else would they have included that could have helped her in the film?
Peripheral Character Activities
Lola
Activity 11: AVA How to Help your mates leaflet (15-30 minutes depending on the group)
This activity provides young people with the knowledge about how to help their friends.
Rationale:
Against Violence and Abuse (AVA) have developed the booklets – How to Help your Mates to help
young people understand about the concept of teenage relationship abuse. The leaflets explain in
detail how young people can safely help their friends who are experiencing abuse
Resources/Knowledge Required:
 How to help your Mates booklets (Hard copies are available from AVA directly and the leaflet
can be downloaded for free here:
http://www.avaproject.org.uk/media/54339/mates%20ava%20final.pdf
 Ability to challenge unhealthy or negative attitudes
Method:
1. Distribute the booklets and ask the young people to read them
2. Ask them to identify which of the ‘I’m worried about my friend…’ indicators could Lola have
noticed in Ellie’s behavior
3. How could Lola have helped Ellie using the information in the booklet?
4. How could they help their friends?
24
Activity 12: ‘Cut’ the Movie (20 minutes)
‘Cut’ the movie is a short film made by Grey London (an advertising agency) for Women’s Aid
which stars Keira Knightley. The film, which was made in 2009 was originally destined to be shown
in cinemas but was banned by the censors for being too graphic. The film was re-cut and was later
allowed to be shown.
Rationale:
The film explores domestic abuse through a tense and violent situation. The film is used for this
activity because it highlights that domestic violence is still very much hidden and that people do
not act to save their friends and family – they are bystanders as we, the viewers, are in this film.
The final tagline is ‘Won’t anyone call cut’.
Resources/Knowledge Required:
 The film which is available here:
www.womensaid.org.uk/page.asp?section=0001000100100012&sectionTitle=CUT+movie
 Access to the internet to show the film
 Ability to challenge negative or unhealthy attitudes
Method:
1. Show the film (it is just over 2 minutes long)
2. Discuss the film – did the young people find it shocking? Why?
3. Why do people not help when they suspect their friend/family member is in an abusive
relationship?
4. Why do people not leave abusive relationships?
5. How could someone help the character Keira plays in the film?
Max
Activity 13: Real Man Campaign (20 minutes)
Women's Aid launched a national campaign in 2010 asking both men and women to help us to
send out the message that 'Real Men' do not abuse and control women – physically, emotionally,
sexually or financially. The campaign, supported by male role models, asks men to take a stand
against violence against women by signing the ‘real man’ pledge.
Rationale:
The campaign asks men to take a stand against violence against women and also for women to be
fans of ‘real men’. It highlights that men have an opportunity to tackle their attitudes and
stereotypes that can lead to violence. It provides an opportunity in this activity to highlight that
25
not all men are abusers – men like the character of Max can be supportive and help their friends
to leave abusive relationships.
Resources/Knowledge needed:
 Access to the campaign - http://www.realmancampaign.com/
 Ability to challenge unhealthy attitudes and gender stereotypes
Method:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ask the young people to explore the pledge on the real man website
Ask them to discuss why the male celebrities would want to be involved?
Were they surprised by any of the people?
Would they want to sign the pledge? (if they do then ask them to sign)
Activity 14: ‘We are Man’ (20 minutes)
The ‘We are Man’ video is a 90 second ‘viral’ film by the End Violence Against Women Coalition
(EVAW) which aims at challenging young men to stand up to friends who condone violence or
harass women.
The film is a montage of Jackass-style video clips showing young men falling off a treadmill, being
thrown into the side of a snow-covered hill and riding motor bikes into a river but pulls the viewer
up short when a bunch of guys fooling around in a skate-park are suddenly appalled by a friend
who sexually harasses a female passer-by and says she needs “a good raping.”
The film encourages young men to challenge their peers who may express attitudes that condone
or tolerate violence against women. It includes some hard-hitting statistics including:

Every 9 minutes a woman in Britain is raped (Home Office)

1 in 2 boys and 1 in 3 girls believe that there are some circumstances when it is okay to hit a
woman or force her to have sex. (Zero Tolerance)

33% of girls in an intimate relationship aged 13-17 have experienced some form of sexual
violence from a partner (NSPCC).

36% of people believe that a woman should be held wholly or partly responsible for being
sexually assaulted or raped if she was drunk, and 26% if she was wearing sexy or revealing
clothes. (Home Office).
Rationale:
The film is a great example of asking young people, and young men in particular, to challenge their
friends and other peers who may have attitudes that are unhealthy and which tolerate abuse.
Resources/Knowledge Required
26



The film which is available here: http://www.youtube.com/user/weareman2011
Access to the internet to be able to stream the film
Ability to challenge unhealthy or abusive attitudes
Method:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Show the film
Ask the young people to discuss the film in groups
What did they like?
What did they not like?
Would they challenge their friends?
How could they help their female or male friends who are experiencing abuse?
Mrs. B
Activity 15: Mrs. B and Ellie Role Play (40 minutes)
Explain to the young people that this activity explores how teachers can support their students
with domestic abuse.
Rationale:
Teachers have told Women’s Aid that they often do not know how to respond to disclosures of
abuse from their students. This exercise reinforces that teachers can be a valuable support to
young people whilst encouraging young people to talk more to their teachers.
Resources/Knowledge Needed:




Role Play Cards (1 teacher card, 1 Ellie card and the remainder are observer cards)
Knowledge of Child Protection Policies and Procedures of your school
Ability to respond pro-actively and sensitively to disclosures of abuse
Ability to protectively interrupt if any unhealthy attitudes are displayed
Method:
1. Distribute the role play cards (note some young people will not want to participate this this
activity
2. Ask the young people (with the Mrs. B and Ellie card to prepare for the role play for 10 minutes
3. Ask the young people to act out the role play (about 5-10 minutes)
4. Ask the observers for their response
5. Ask the observers to imagine whether they would respond differently in the situation or the
same as the young people who have participated in the role play.
Mrs. B – imagine you are Mrs. B when she enters the bathroom and asks Ellie is she is ok. How
could you help Ellie to tell you what is going on? What would you say?
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Ellie – imagine you are Ellie when Mrs. B enters the bathroom. How would you feel? Would you
feel comfortable telling her the truth? How do you think you would be able to open up?
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