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Lesson 21: Laws Regarding Appropriate Social Behavior and Laws Regarding Sexual Abuse Prevention

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Teacher Note: Research indicates that at the current rate approximately one in four girls and one in ten boys will be sexually abused by the time they reach the age of 18. (Finkelhor, 1986) Additionally, researchers report that 80 percent of people with disabilities experience some form of sexual exploitation or abuse at some time in their lives. (Kempton, 1988) With these statistics it is imperative that students with special needs be given an entire unit of instruction on sexual abuse prevention. Life Facts 2, Circles II, No-Go-Tell, and Life Horizons II are all examples of comprehensive sexual abuse prevention programs developed for students with special needs. The following lesson is meant to serve only as a review as it relates to a student's growing level of independence.

Objectives:

Students will:

  • Give examples of polite, appropriate behavior.
  • Review basic laws regarding private body parts.
  • Know that there are laws that protect girls from sexual abuse.
  • Demonstrate self-protective strategies necessary for sexual abuse prevention.

Vocabulary: laws, protection

Materials: Picture Cards 36 and 37, chart paper, index cards, masking tape, worksheet #8 - safe person, video camera

Procedure:

  1. Read Picture Cards 36 and 37 and go over discussion questions.
  2. Review the concepts of good touch, bad touch and confusing touch.

      3. Good touch makes a person feel good, is an expression of affection or is done to provide health care or hygiene.

      Bad touch is touching that hurts or makes someone feel sad or ashamed.

      Confusing touch is touching private body parts, touching that is to be kept secret and touching that could produce bad feelings.

      As a review, write the following scenarios on index cards. Separate a piece of chart paper into 3 sections labeled good touch, bad touch and confusing touch. Read each index card and have a student decide which category each situation fits under. Have the student place the index card on the chart using masking tape.

    1. A girl is introduced to a new student and they shake hands. (G)
    2. A girl is in the cafeteria lunch line and another student comes up and butts in line and pushes the girl down. (B)
    3. A boy pulls a girl's hair on the bus. (B)
    4. A girl brings home a good report card and both of her parents give her a big hug. (G)
    5. A girl tries to touch another girl's breasts in the rest room. (C)
    6. A boy keeps going around pinching girls. (B)
    7. A girl's friend wants to wrestle naked. (C)
    8. A girl's uncle pats her on the knees while they are watching TV together. (G)
    9. A girl's uncle tries to rub her vulva while they are watching TV together (C)
    10. At camp a camp counselor tries to touch a girl's breasts while they are in the cabin alone. (C)

      11. Have students look at the completed chart and then ask them what the girl should do in each situation in the bad touch and confusing touch categories.

  3. Have students fill in worksheet #8 - Safe Person by naming and including a picture of the person they would talk to if they needed to report that someone was bothering them. These pages can be put in their decision-making folders or hung on a bulletin board entitled "Safe Persons".
  4. Modeling - Teacher specifically models, one at a time, direct eye contact, mean face and strong body language. Students model each of these and then practice putting all three together.
  5. If possible, borrow a video camera and videotape students using their best refusal skills. Have students evaluate their eye contact, tone of voice and body language.

Finkelhor, D. A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse. California: Sage Publications, 1986.

Kempton, W. Sex Education for Persons with Disabilities that Hinder Learning: A Teacher's Guide. Santa Barbara: James Stanfield Publishing Company, 1988.