How Can We Talk about Sexual Violence in the Classroom in a Trauma-Informed Way?

To prevent sexual violence, we must talk about sexual violence. Sexual violence is rampant in our society and is often a traumatic event for the survivor. So, how can we talk about sexual violence in a trauma-informed way? How can we lessen the harm of the conversation and center the needs of survivors as we work to prevent sexual violence?

First, we must recognize the immediate and lasting impacts of trauma on the body and brain. Check out this 1.5-hour course on just that. When a person experiences trauma the brain functions in a survival mode and fundamentally changes in structure. People with post-traumatic stress can experience what’s called being “triggered”. This is when the body reacts to a stimulus as if they are under attack. They might have a panic attack, look vacant and feel checked out, or have an unexplained bout of crying. What stimulus triggers an individual is highly personal. Here are some tips for you to create trauma-informed classroom.

• Make your classroom welcoming and comfortable. The physical space of a classroom is the first part of making your classroom trauma-informed. The physical space predisposes people to either ease or discomfort. Does your classroom have a warm and inviting feel? Are there dark or cluttered areas? What mood do the wall decorations convey? What could be changed to make it more calming?

• Have clear, visible exits. The traumatized brain may be hyper-alert and may often scan spaces for a path to leave. When an exit is blocked or hard to see this can increase anxiety for people with post-traumatic stress. If possible, create a classroom set up where all students can see the exit from their seats.

• Recognize that there are survivors of sexual assault in your classroom. One in 9 girls and 1 in 53 boys under the age of 18 experienced sexual abuse or assault at the hands of an adult.  It’s most likely that each classroom has at least one student who is a survivor of sexual assault. When you speak about sexual violence, speak as if everyone in the room has experienced sexual violence. Center the experience of survivors in all your lesson plans. Think about what it would be like for them to learn about what you are teaching.

• Create and enforce the ground rules. One ground rule could be to avoid shaming or stigmatizing language. If a person in the classroom violates that ground rule, it is vitally important to take time to address that. It sets the tone that your classroom is a safe space, and you take it seriously enough to educate about the impacts of a student’s word choices. (See blog post, Unpacking reactions )

• Provide resources for survivors and co-survivors. Talking about sexual violence can help people recognize their experiences as sexual violence. This realization can be scary, but ultimately help them connect to resources they need. Co-survivors are people who witness sexual violence or hear about sexual violence from those they love. This is sometimes called secondary trauma. When you discuss sexual violence, you can first discuss and post local resources for survivors of sexual assault. This could be a phone number to a crisis line or a website to local services. Better yet, put up a poster with local resources for sexual assault services, and leave it up all the time. This visual reminder can help people remember that resources exist. Tell the class the resources are available whenever they feel it will help them. You can highlight the resources at the beginning and end of the conversation and discuss how each person’s healing process looks different. Support is available at any time.

• Make space for people to take care of themselves. Acknowledge that talking about sexual violence might bring up feelings, memories, or numbness. Remind folks that they have permission to take a break, check out, or do what they need to care for themselves.

• Don’t get too graphic. Is it necessary to give graphic detail? What purpose does it serve? Can you convey the gravity of the topic without making it sensationalized? Graphic stories are much more likely to trigger survivors than short clear descriptions. Use terms that are clear and accurate that reflect the violence of the action without sensationalizing it. Let your students know you can talk with them after class, if they want to talk to you privately.
  

• If the content in the classroom is graphic, use a trigger warning. A trigger warning is a disclosure at the beginning of a story, movie, news article, or class lecture letting the audience know the nature of the content to which they will soon bear witness. For example, “The film we are about to watch contains some abusive relationship behavior including stalking. If you would like to not watch that scene, you may leave the classroom and during minute 25 to 28.” You can also reiterate your communities’ commitment to preventing relationship violence. This trigger warning allows students who may have experienced sexual violence to make a decision to stay or leave before they encounter the triggering content. Survivors’ abilities to cope with violent stories shift from day-to-day depending on a number of different factors that are unique to them. Trigger warnings give survivors agency in their healing and boundaries.

• Be clear in the plan, following the plan. Survivors of trauma like to know what is going to happen when. It can make them feel secure knowing the plan and seeing it play out on time and as outlined. Posting a class agenda can be really comforting for survivors of trauma.

 Written by Alex Ross-Reed (she, her, hers), a sexual violence prevention specialist, health educator, writer, and artist living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.