All I Ever Needed To Know About Rape Prevention I Learned At Preschool

[bearsir]

 Five things we tell our two-year-old son to help him grow up resistant to the messages of the rape culture:

1. We hug people for as long as they would like to be hugged, not for as long as we want to hug them.

2. We don't put our hands or feet in anyone's clothes without their permission.

3. We ask people whether they would like company or privacy

Comments

[ladyteal]

This is fantastic. In my "Sex, Gender and Power" class (sociology, cross listed with gender & sexuality studies), we discuss rape and domestic violence in one section. I ask my students to consider ways that we could prevent rape. The #1 suggestion for many of them is teaching men not to rape, rather than teaching women to not get raped. (Which, I proudly tell them, is a good answer). The #2 answer revolves around media. But, back to answer #1, I think that it perfectly reflects what you and your husband are teaching your son - respecting boundaries, listening when someone says "no", and remembering that we can't force our wants/needs on other people. If men (well, truly, if people of ALL genders) were taught this from the start, we would not only have people better at respecting boundaries, we would also have people who were better able to make boundaries. Both of those help create a more healthy society (as well as healtiher relationships). I love reading the stories you share about raising your son. They are very sweet, as well as inspiring.

~ Teal