The South African Human Rights Commission found that 40% of the children interviewed had been the victims of crime at school. More than a fifth of sexual assaults on South African children were found to have taken place in schools and exposure to gangsterism and drugs have had a substantial impact on student performance.
Here are some tips on how you, as parents, can help protect your child from acts of school violence by taking a proactive role:
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- Show your children peaceful solutions to their problems. Try to lead by non-violent example, which is not being a pushover but using logic and constructive ways to deal with problems that arise.
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- Talk openly and honestly with your child about acts of school violence while being careful to adapt your talk to the age of your child.
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- Let your children know that if they are subjected to violence, you are there to help resolve the issue right away.
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- Check with your child’s school to see what measures are in place to assist children who are subjected to violence. Many schools speak to students about safety issues and share what they are doing to keep them safe.
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- Don’t ignore changes in your child’s behaviour such as a disrupted sleep pattern or frequent nightmares. Changed behaviour may be the first sign that there is some violence taking place at school.
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- Tell your child to stay away from children who threaten violence.
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- Encourage your child to report any threats or suspicious behaviour to school officials or to you as soon as possible.
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- Stay informed about your child’s friends, activities and feelings.
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- Explain to your children that not only strangers pose a danger. Teach them to trust their gut feeling and urge them to talk to you when they feel something or someone makes them feel uncomfortable.
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- Teach your child to respect him or herself and others; to avoid fighting (when angry, to talk it out or take time to cool off by walking away); to use words, not weapons to resolve conflicts; to never to carry a knife, gun or other weapon (not only is it against the law, but weapons can kill); to stay away from alcohol or other drugs (these substances can spark violent behaviour); and to avoid friends who think fighting and violence is “cool”.
Sources
www.ccsu.edu
www.nimh.nih.gov
www.nssc1.org
www.parentingpress.com