Students Empowered To Break Cycle Of Abuse
[Written by Anya Thompson]
In a time of changing social dynamics and a greater emphasis on personal empowerment, it is critical that we provide young people with the knowledge and skills they need to recognize and combat abusive relationships. Therefore, education plays a pivotal role in empowering young people to recognize the warning signs of abuse.
The importance of family and relationships is emphasized in the Child Care and Development course at CedarBridge Academy. Students spend time in this module examining healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationships. They are made aware of the various resources and services for families and people who find themselves in toxic or abusive relationships.
In addition to formal schooling, community organizations, advocates, and nonprofits also proactively educate young people about abusive relationships. Ms. Tammy Richardson-Augustus, a representative of the One Love Foundation, and Detective Patrice Medeiros of the Bermuda Police Domestic Violence Unit led an interactive and captivating workshop with CedarBridge Academy’s Childcare and Development class on May 18, 2023.
The workshop aimed to provide a safe space for open discourse in which participants could share and learn from one another’s experiences. The students discovered that they may help reduce the shocking statistics about relationship violence, such as the fact that one in every three women, one in every four males, and one in every two LGBTQ+ people will be in a violent relationship in their lifetime, and that women aged 16 to 24 are three times more likely than other women.
Furthermore, Ms. Richardson-Augustus revealed that technology and social media have become integral parts of modern life, bringing advantages and challenges. However, they also provide platforms to educate and engage young people on the issues of abusive relationships.
The One Love Foundation is a national non-profit organization formed in 2010 to honor Yeardley Love’s untimely and tragic death by engaging young people through captivating, relatable videos and honest talks about healthy and destructive relationship practices to end them.
To date, free online video content has reached over 100 million individuals, and in-person workshops have educated over 2 million young people. One Love provides young people with the tools and resources they need to recognize the warning signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and provide life-saving prevention education to their communities.
“Some teens are influenced by negative social media, and also find themselves caught in the net of a toxic relationship, and are at times, manipulated to remain in a noxious relationship,” said Mrs. Joanne Anderson, a Childcare and Development teacher.
“Ultimately, by educating young people about abusive relationships, we aim to empower them to recognize and address harmful dynamics early on. By fostering an environment that promotes healthy relationships and encourages open conversations, we can break the cycle of abuse and create a safer, more inclusive society for future generations.”
