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Sensitivity
Sensitive and/or upsetting topics may emotionally impact your students due to past experiences. You should consider whether this content is appropriate and ensure adequate support is available for anyone affected.
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Choices
Everyone has choices they can make every day.
What are some of the choices you make every day?
Control
We all have control over some aspects of our lives.
What are some things you have control over in your life?
However, we are all different and live in different families with different rules. So, you might not be allowed to do something your friend is allowed to do.
One thing we all have control over is our own bodies and what happens to them in most situations and circumstances.
It’s Your Body
Your body is your own. It belongs to you and no one else. You can decide what does and does not happen to your body.
In addition to having choices and control over what happens to our bodies, we have to consent to someone else doing something to our bodies.
Giving consent means you are giving permission to someone to do a specific thing.
Body Autonomy
No one can touch you in a way that you don’t like. It is your body and you can say NO!
If someone touches you in a way that you don’t like, you need to tell the other person that you didn’t like it.
No matter how old, how intelligent, how scary or how powerful they are, even if they are family - you choose what happens to your body. We do not have to do something that we are not comfortable with, even if others say we have to or if they threaten us in some way or we think it will make them happy.
Body Autonomy – It’s for Everyone
Just as you have control over what happens to your body, others also have control over their own body. They get to decide what happens to their body too.
You should never try to touch, hug or kiss someone or hold their hand without their permission or consent.
Everyone is different, some people like a hug from their friend and other people prefer not to be touched - we have to respect each other’s choices. It is important to listen and not be offended if someone does say no.
Giving Consent and Saying No!
When we give consent we are giving our permission.
If someone offers you a hug and you say yes, you are giving your consent for the other person to hug you.
If you say no to the offer of the hug, the other person should respect your choice and not give you a hug. You have not given your consent.
Remember, your body, your choice - you have the right to say no.
If you do not respond to the offer of a hug and say you are not sure, you have not given consent for the other person to hug you.
Someone has to clearly say yes to give their consent.
Respect
We should respect ourselves enough to know that our bodies are precious and deserve to be protected from any harm or unwanted touch.
We should also respect others and know that it is never OK to touch someone else if they do not want to be touched.
Always get consent, even if it is a friend you know well.
It’s also important to remember that just because someone gives consent one time, it does not mean they give it all the time. A person can change their mind and stop consenting to something, so you should always ask.
Personal Space
Everyone has personal space. This is space around your body that we only let some people into at certain times. We should always respect other people’s personal space.
Personal Space and Privacy
Privacy
There are some things you might like to do in private. This means something you would like to do without other people being around. You can ask for privacy if you would like to be left alone. The people responsible for keeping us safe might not always be able to respect our privacy. You might want privacy when getting dressed, washing your body or going to the toilet. It is important to respect other people’s privacy.
Feeling Uncomfortable
Sometimes when something isn’t right we can get a feeling in our tummy that makes us feel nervous or uncomfortable. This is your ‘belly voice’ or ‘gut instinct’.
It is important to listen to your body when it is telling you that it doesn’t like something or something does not feel right.
You should always seek support from someone you trust if your gut instinct is telling you something is wrong - no matter how big or small it seems to you!
Keeping Secrets
Some secrets are safe, but you should never keep a secret that makes you or someone else feel unsafe. We do not have to keep something a secret if we do not want to.
If something does not feel right, tell someone you trust.
Getting Support
Some situations can be resolved if we give them time. However, it’s usually best to speak up and ask for advice or help, sooner rather than later. Knowing when to ask for help is an important skill.
Who Can You Trust?
A trusted adult could be:
Who are your trusted adults?
Childline
Sometimes, young people might feel that they have no one to talk to. Maybe they are worried or frightened to speak to someone they know. Perhaps they are embarrassed or think that they will not be believed.
You can reach Kids Help Phone in Canada by calling 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or texting CONNECT to 686868, available 24/7 for confidential support for youth aged 5-29, with options for live chat, text, and phone support in many languages, including French, Indigenous languages, and others through interpreters.