BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - STUDENTS of Grades Four, Five and Six of the Seventh Day Adventist Primary School were this morning (Feb. 6) schooled on a very important life topic - sexual abuse.
The topic was presented by the Operation Future organisation as part of its annual school visits initiative. This year the lesson focuses on “Sexual Abuse and You”.
Following a short morning devotion, the students were seated in a classroom fitted with a projector and they viewed and participated in the slide show presentation given by Operation Future’s founder Constable Lauston Percival.
The students were informed of the definition of sexual abuse, the various aspects of it, how to identify the offence and what they should do if certain situations were to arise.
The question of whether or not boys could be victims of sexual abuse stirred a debate amongst the students as many had opposing views. They however learned that boys could indeed suffer the abuse and Percival stressed that "boys too can be raped".
He advised them to shun the notion that the victims "asked for it", stating that no one asks to be violated and "it could happen to anybody".
With regard to the manner in which girls should dress, the police officer told the students that the clothes girls wear are not an invitation to be inappropriately touched or molested.
He said: "People can dress anyway that they want, it is their fundamental right".
He quickly added that girls should always dress respectably and that, having the right to dress in any manner does not mean they should wear revealing outfits.
Percival stressed that sexual abuse is never the victims faults but rather the abuser's. He said victims should not blame themselves for what was done.
"They (the perpetrators) are feeding on your innocence, that is why it is important to know what to do," he said.
The officer asked the children if most sexual abuse takes place with people who are known to each other and the students replied in the affirmative.
"Often times you put your trust in people who you expect to look out for you and sometimes they are the ones who let you down. You should be very careful. No matter who that person is, as long as they do something to you, let somebody know. Do not keep it in," Percival advised.
They were also advised the trust their instincts and to stay away from people who make them uncomfortable.
The dangers of drug and alcohol abuse and their ability to impair judgment was also one of the features of Officer Percival’s session.
He told the girls that men could easily take advantage of them if they are drunk and he urged them not to drink.
When asked how many students were familiar with the social network Facebook and how many had accounts with it, most of the students raised their hands.
One child said she had over 100 friends attached to her Facebook account and Percival firmly told the students that at their age there was no need for them to have Facebook accounts especially since it is a means of exposing them to sexual predators.
He gave a scenario where a child could be having an internet conversation with predator who portrays them self to be a 12-year-old girl. He said the predator could then asks to meet the child, who accepts and ends up being molested.
He advised the students not to keep secrets and told them that they would only receive help for a problem if they tell someone about what is happening or has happened to them.
The students were treated to a game of "what If" where they were presented with scenarios and were question about what reaction they would have given had they been in a similar situation.
Scenarios posed included: "What if a stranger were to offer you a ride in their car?" "What if you went to the bathroom and saw that someone was trying to peek at you?" "What if someone tried to put their hands under your clothes?"
The students eagerly responded, most giving acceptable answers, and Percival carefully explained what should be done in those situations, emphasizing that they should "always remember that it is your body...you control who touches it".
The lesson was ended with Percival giving his audience sound words of advice.
"I am speaking to you now because I do not want any of you to go missing. I do not want to see you young ladies pregnant at age 13 and 14. I do not want to see any of you missing out on your childhood. The same reason we put on clothes is the same reason there are doors on the bathroom and shower curtains in the bath. Do not allow anyone to peek on you, do not allow anyone to take off your clothes. You are entitled to your privacy.
"This presentation was not to humour you. It was to educate you about the things that are with our young people. This is for you to have the knowledge, for you to understand what is going on out there and for you to know what to do in situations like these."
Officer Percival urged the children to speak up when someone does something to them that they deem inappropriate and/or if they have a friend or know someone who is being abused. To refrain form keeping secrets especially in situations that are sexual in nature.
"You can only get help if you say something so do not keep these things to yourself. Speak up and speak out."
