111

Identity cards (provided below) String, and scissors

45 mins - 1 hour1. Learners should be able to identify and address negativeattitudes and beliefs that society at large and learners themselves tend to hold about victims of domestic violence.2. Learners should be able to understand the obstacles thatvictims of domestic violence face when trying to seek help.

1PROCEDUREThe teacher should cut out and fold the identity cards provided below to create ten separate characters.

Ask for ten learners to volunteer as ‘actors’ in a scenario. Explain to them that the activity is a role play, and doesn’t represent anyone’s own behaviour or identity. The role play is intended to illustrate the experiences of many victims the world over.

Give each volunteer one of the identity cards. Ask them to stand in a semi-circle around the person playing the victim. Hand out a piece of string to each person and ask the victim to hold the other end of each piece of string together in her hands. The victim should be connected to each person, including the abuser, by a length of string.

The abuser should be the last person in the semi-circle as follows:

Domestic violenceVictimAbuseVictim blamingAccessViolenceStigmatizedLGBTHIV/AIDSLesbianHomophobia Heteronormativity

Chapter 3: Family Relationships | Exercise 6

2

3

5

4

6

7

8

THE STRING EXERCISEUNDERSTANDING BYSTANDER RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

1

2

34

5 67

8

9

AV

Ask the victim to read her ID Card and statement. She then turns to the person on her right, who announces his/her own identity and reads their line, creating a dialogue between the two. (For example, …) The teacher then cuts the string connecting the two.

The victim then turns to the next person and repeats her line: “My boyfriend just beat me, can you help me”. In turn each person in the semi-circle reads their line and the teacher cuts the string connecting the two.

This continues until the only remaining connection that the victim has is to the abuser. The abuser then announces his or her identity and reads his line: “I told you no one would believe you or help you. I’m the only one who you can rely on.”

Debriefing: Ask the victim how she felt (in her role as victim) as each of the people she turned to for help rejected her and blamed her for the abuse. The victim will likely report feeling hurt, anxiety, anger, shame, and isolation. If learners struggle to identify these feelings, or seem apathetic, ask them prompting questions such as:

a. Did you feel like this person understood what you had experienced?

b. Did you feel like you could get help?

c. Did you feel like anyone blamed you for what happened to you?

d. Did you feel like anyone held the abuser responsible for his actions?

Wrap up the exercise by emplasising that domestic violence is a social problem and not a personal problem confined to the private sphere. Emphasise that we often engage in victim blaming in the way that we respond to victims, which discourages them from seeking help, and creates the impression that we don’t believe the victim. In blaming the victim, we are taking responsibility away from the abuser, and creating the social perception that domestic violence is acceptable. Emphasise that each person, as part of the community has a role in helping and supporting victims of abuse.

Ask the victim to read her identity card and statement. She then turns to the person on her right, who announces his/her own identity and reads their line, creating a dialogue between the two. When the responder (eg. parent, friend etc. ) has finished their lines, the teacher then cuts the string connecting the two.

Debrief the activity by asking the victim how she felt (in her role as victim) as each of the people she turned to for help rejected her and blamed her for the abuse. The victim will likely report feeling hurt, anxiety, anger, shame, and isolation. If learners struggle to identify these feelings, or seem apathetic, ask them prompting questions such as:

Wrap up the exercise by emphasising that domestic violence is a social problem and not a personal problem confined to the private sphere. Emphasise that we often engage in victim blaming in the way that we respond to victims, which discourages them from seeking help, and creates the impression that we don’t believe the victim. In blaming the victim, we are taking responsibility away from the abuser, and creating the social perception that domestic violence is acceptable. Emphasise that each person, as part of the community has a role in helping and supporting victims of abuse.

Chapter 9: Domestic Violence | Exercise 4

Ask the victim to read her identity card and statement. She then turns to the person on her right, who announces his/her own identity and reads their line, creating a dialogue between the two. When the responder (eg. parent, friend etc. ) has finished their lines, the teacher then cuts the string connecting the two.

Debrief the activity by asking the victim how she felt (in her role as victim) as each of the people she turned to for help rejected her and blamed her for the abuse. The victim will likely report feeling hurt, anxiety, anger, shame, and isolation. If learners struggle to identify these feelings, or seem apathetic, ask them prompting questions such as:

Wrap up the exercise by emphasising that domestic violence is a social problem and not a personal problem confined to the private sphere. Emphasise that we often engage in victim blaming in the way that we respond to victims, which discourages them from seeking help, and creates the impression that we don’t believe the victim. In blaming the victim, we are taking responsibility away from the abuser, and creating the social perception that domestic violence is acceptable. Emphasise that each person, as part of the community has a role in helping and supporting victims of abuse.

Chapter 9: Domestic Violence | Exercise 4

222

Chapter 3: Family Relationships | Exercise 6

TEACHER TIPSA.

B.

C.

C.

This exercise carries a high impact, so be sure to emphasise the ways

that we as a community can help and support victims of abuse and

Ensure that learners leave feeling hopeful about their role in enacting

positive change.

This exercise carries a high impact, so be sure to emphasise the ways that we as a community can help and support victims of abuse and point to resources for those who find themselves in that situation. Ensure that learners leave feeling hopeful about their role in enacting positive change.

Making the Link with Gender & Violence

Chapter 9: Domestic Violence | Exercise 4

3

IDENTIT Y CARDSChapter 3: Family Relationships | Exercise 6 Worksheet

Cut these out along the dotted line and fold.

VICTIM

PAR

ENT

FRIE

ND

/PEE

R

“MY BOYFRIEND JUST BEAT ME!

CAN YOU HELP ME?”

“I T

OLD

YO

U T

HAT

YO

U’R

E TO

O Y

OU

NG

TO

HAV

E A

BOYF

RIE

ND

. IF

YOU

HA

DN

’T

IGN

OR

ED M

Y A

DV

ICE,

NO

NE

OF

THIS

WO

ULD

HAV

E EV

ER

HA

PPEN

ED!”

“BU

T H

E’S

THE

CA

PTA

IN

OF

THE

SOC

CER

TEA

M!

HE’

S SU

CH

A N

ICE

GU

Y ...

SU

REL

Y YO

U’R

E O

VER

REA

CTI

NG

.”

“AR

E YO

U S

UR

E A

BOU

T TH

IS?

THIS

CO

ULD

BE

VER

Y BA

D F

OR

TH

E IM

AG

E O

F TH

E SC

HO

OL.

WE

WIL

L H

AVE

TO T

AKE

TH

IS T

O T

HE

HEA

DM

AST

ER T

O D

ECID

E.”

“TH

E M

AN

IS T

HE

HEA

D O

F TH

E R

ELAT

ION

SHIP

. I’M

SU

RE

HE

WA

S JU

ST T

RYI

NG

TO

HEL

P YO

U U

ND

ERST

AN

D

YOU

R P

LAC

E.”

SCH

OO

L C

OU

NSE

LLO

R

REL

IGIO

US

LEA

DER

Chapter 9: Domestic Violence | Exercise 4

4

IDENTIT Y CARDSChapter 3: Family Relationships | Exercise 6 Worksheet

Cut these out along the dotted line and fold.

ABUSER

CLI

NIC

SIS

TER

SOC

IAL

WO

RK

ER

“I TOLD YOU NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE YOU OR HELP YOU. I’M THE ONLY ONE WHO YOU

CAN RELY ON.”

“YO

U S

HO

ULD

N’T

BE

INV

OLV

ED IN

A R

ELAT

ION

SHIP

. YO

U’R

E G

OIN

G T

O L

AN

D U

P PR

EGN

AN

T A

ND

STI

LL IN

SC

HO

OL.

WH

O W

ILL

TAKE

C

AR

E O

F TH

E BA

BY T

HEN

?”

“IT

CA

N’T

BE

THAT

SER

IOU

S,

YOU

TW

O S

HO

ULD

BE

ABL

E TO

SO

RT

THIS

OU

T. W

HY

DO

N’T

YO

U T

WO

CO

ME

IN

TOG

ETH

ER A

ND

WE

CA

N

TALK

IT O

VER

.”

“I’M

SU

RE

THIS

IS J

UST

A

MIS

UN

DER

STA

ND

ING

… Y

OU

TW

O

PRO

BABL

Y JU

ST H

AD

A L

ITTL

E FI

GH

T TH

AT’S

BEE

N B

LOW

N O

UT

OF

PRO

POR

TIO

N. A

RE

YOU

SU

RE

YOU

WA

NT

TO R

EPO

RT

THIS

– H

E C

OU

LD G

ET A

CR

IMIN

AL

REC

OR

D

IF Y

OU

DO

SO

.”

“I T

OLD

YO

U N

O O

NE

WO

ULD

BEL

IEV

E YO

U

OR

HEL

P YO

U. I

’M T

HE

ON

LY O

NE

WH

O Y

OU

C

AN

REL

Y O

N.”

POLI

CE

OFF

ICER

SHEL

TER

WO

RK

ER

Chapter 9: Domestic Violence | Exercise 4