Violence and staying safe
Learn how to recognize different forms of violence, abuse, and bullying, understand consent, and discover practical ways to protect yourself, support your peers, and stay safe both offline and online.
What is gender-based violence?
We now understand that gender norms and gender stereotypes are created by our societies. They may lead to unequal treatment, discrimination, and violence. Violence is when someone uses force, power, or threats to hurt themselves, another person, or a group. It can cause physical injury, emotional harm, or take away someone’s safety and rights. Gender-based violence is violence that is committed against a person or a group on the basis of their gender.
Challenging gender stereotypes
We are going to learn about stereotypes that are often attached to boys and girls, and how these affect us.
What’s the difference between sex and gender?
We are going to talk about sex and gender, and how gender affects us. Let’s first understand the difference between sex and gender. Sex is about the biology of being male or female, based on biological differences such as reproductive organs and chromosomes. Gender is what it means to be male or female in a specific society, including how we expect women and men to behave.
Understanding gender
Gender shapes how we see ourselves, how we interact with others, and how society expects us to act but understanding it clearly is key to building a fair, safe, and respectful world. This section unpacks the crucial difference between biological sex and gender identity, challenges harmful stereotypes, and explores what it truly means to practice gender equality. You will also learn about consent, digital privacy, and how to recognize and stand up against bullying, harassment, and gender-based violence.
Sexuality, faith and culture
People often use their religious beliefs, family traditions, or cultural beliefs to help them make important decisions, including decisions about relationships and sex. People have different beliefs and values, and that’s okay. What matters is making informed choices for yourself while respecting others.
Unpacking sexuality
Sexuality is a term that includes many different things. Sexuality is not just about who you have sex with, or how often you have sex. Sexuality is about your sexual feelings, thoughts, attractions, and behaviours towards other people. It is diverse and personal.