What Do We Owe Our Youth?

One in four girls is sexually abused before age 18; one in four boys before age 18. These statistics assume that that children are cisgender. The 2019 U.S. Transgender Survey reports that 13% of transgender youth (both girls and boys) have been assaulted while in school and other research finds that harassment and bullying of trans and nonbinary youth is increasing (Menvielle 2012; 2019 U.S.Transgender Survey ).This means that youth regardless of their gender identity are at risk of abuse, with some more at risk that others.

So let’s ask ourselves: What do we owe our youth?

We can provide youth with concrete tools to protect themselves while we also work to build a safer world, society, communities, and families. IMPACT Chicago currently offers IMPACT for Girls, a program for cis and trans girls 12-15 years old. If you have a non-binary teen interested in our program, please reach out to determine if this program would be a good fit.

In this 8-hour two-day program, participants learn how to handle common safety concerns of parents and youth. Participants practice projecting confidence, recognizing unsafe situations, speaking up, and taking action when they are feeling uncomfortable. They also have the chance to participate in frank, direct discussions about common situations and to practice verbal and physical skills to expand their range of choices—not only in threatening situations, but in everyday life.i

The next IMPACT for Girls program is

January 11 and 12, 2020

Glenview Park Center

2400 Chestnut Avenue
info@IMPACTchicago.org

While teaching youth self-defense skills, we can also create a safer environment for young people, for example:

• press for laws that will increase resources for those who have been victimized, such as, the 2019 Violence Against Women Act, which has new provisions for targets of violence who are transgender.

• support organizations trying to change how gender is portrayed in the media, such as Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, working with the entertainment industry to reduce stereotypes and expanding portrayals of female characters targeting children 11 years old and under.  

• join efforts to increase awareness about street harassment and how to create safer communities, such as Hollaback which raises public awareness and offers strategies to increase safety in public spaces. 

• support children making their own decisions about with whom to be physically affectionate, such as the Girl Scouts' reminder to family members to tell children that they do not owe anyone a hug—not even during the holidays.

So, what do we owe our youth? We owe them support on both fronts: the opportunity to learn and practice tools to protect themselves while we also owe them our efforts to create a safer world, society, communities, and families.

Martha Thompson

Lead Instructor

Admin Team Co-Chair

IMPACT Chicago

Thank you to Amy, Brett, Brooke, Lisa, Maple, and Rachel for their comments on an earlier version of this post.