SH stands for Sexual Harassment and SH… also reminds us that we’ve been too quiet (shushed) for too long about the importance of teaching the building blocks of healthy relationships before it’s too late.
It is imperative that we reach out to children of younger ages to start conversations about self-respect and to help them develop relationships that are built on mutual respect.
A group of researchers at Harvard Graduate School of Education discovered that 65% of young-adult respondents wished they’d discussed relationships at school.
According to Grace Tatter, “Giving students a foundation in relationship-building and centering the notion of care for others can enhance wellbeing and pave the way for healthy intimacy in the future… It can prevent or counter gender stereotyping and bias. And it could minimize instances of sexual harassment and assault in middle and high school — instances that may range from cyberbullying and stalking to unwanted touching and nonconsensual sex.”
We need to focus our educational efforts on social/emotional wellbeing and on the importance of caring for one another despite our differences.
InterACT NY is committed to bringing innovative and interactive programs to schools focusing on the development of healthy relationships and empathy before bullying, harassment and assault take hold.