I'm a student, currently on the arse-end of my final year at sixth form and I won't lie, this is probably pretty biased. I despise everything from registration to the 20 or so different bells that blast away every day; nonetheless, PSHE needs to go, and fast. The other week, the sixth form were subjected to what I can only really describe as unabashed sexism and, well, pretty fucking terrible acting.
Sat in our seats; bracing ourselves for the next dull PSHE assembly, we were told by the assembly leader that the topic of this PSHE was Domestic Violence. Of course, this is fine, children and young adults should obviously be taught how to cope and deal with this sort of issue. Good job so far guys. The catch is however, in my far too many years at education, I've had this same PSHE assembly - 4 times. Naturally with different people running it and generally a slightly different tone each time, but, you guessed it, still some fucking terrifically bad acting.
1. Quick talk and explanation about Domestic Violence
2. Any Questions? (Oh, we're sixth formers, we couldn't be bothered to lift up our arms even if we had a question.)
3. Okay here's a big long video
4. Summary of the video
5. Any Questions? (Obviously, still no one can be fucked.)
6. Okay that's it guys. Clap at us like seals.
That's all fairly straightforward. Not really any problems there - except for the video.
Every time I have had this topic of assembly, it has always been a painfully dominant male beating the living shit out of his, usually younger, girlfriend. Now, don't think me a fool, this scenario happens more than enough times across the country than I can count on my hands - but it is not the only damn scenario. Wives beat husbands. Teenagers beat their parents. Husbands beat wives. Instead of portraying properly the reality of what happens in Domestic Abuse scenario's, PSHE in the curriculum is unarguably adding more fuel to the sexism bonfire. Children growing up in Secondary School's will see the same video's, constant boyfriends and husbands domineering and beating their female partners. What image does that really present to young people? Who, let's face it, can be pretty naive.
PSHE is a mess. A mess that isn't working to actually educate the younger generation socially well enough in the slightest.
I wouldn't have been so angry and gone toward writing this if the person leading the assembly hadn't said the one thing that catalysed my anger - "if you know someone who's a victim of Domestic Violence, be there for her".
HER.
Being an assembly full of sixth formers, this generally doesn't matter so much and was significantly less damaging, as most were either wanting to go to sleep and/or daydreaming intricate ways of escaping the hall undetected. (I don't know, that could've just been me). But seriously - you, lovely lady though you are, are a complete and utter idiot. She actually solidified my hatred for her when she followed that with the brilliantly twattish "oh I shouldn't say she, that's probably not correct, but most of the time that is the case".
To be fair, figures show that Male instigated domestic violence rates are much higher, but to twist that into an educational portal just begins to warp the minds of young people into fear, paranoia and distrust - which, let's be honest, this country doesn't need anymore of. (Yeah, thanks UKIP.)
I must also be clear that I don't expect every one of these PSHE schemes to include every scenario of such topics into their videos and whatnot, but what I do expect is that there is more acknowledgement and explanation that these sorts of things, like domestic violence, affect more than just women. It is a crime that destroys people and it is not to be skimmed over as just being men. It's just insulting in every way.
In summary.
- Support ANYONE you know that is a victim of Domestic Violence
- Don't generalise a common, malevolent crime to a gender.
- Fuck you PSHE.
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