What is power?

Power is the ability to act or have influence over others.

Factors that influence power

• Intolerance (unwillingness to accept views or beliefs that someone else may have)

• Bias

• Knowledge (what you understand or have previously learnt)

• Self-esteem

• Family

• Peers

• Media

POSITIVE POWER

Behaviours that display positive use of power

• Respect

• Responsibility

• Empathy

• Listening

• Support

• Expressing own needs

NEGATIVE POWER

Different forms of negative power

• Bullying

Verbal : Name calling, teasing putting someone down, threatening to cause someone harm

Physical : Poking, hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, tripping or pushing someone, breaking someone’s things, pulling faces or making hand signals

Social : Lying, spreading rumours, playing horrible jokes, leaving someone out on purpose, embarrassing someone in public

Cyberbullying : Using technology to hurt someone else by sending hurtful messages, pictures or comments

• Harassment

—> Behaviours that aim to offend, humiliate or intimidate

• Sexual harassment : Unwelcome sexual behaviour that's offensive, humiliating or intimidating. It can be written, verbal or physical, and ca happen in person or online

• Abuse

  • Verbal

  • Psychological

  • Emotional

  • Social

  • Financial

  • Physical

  • Sexual

  • Harassment

• Neglect

  —> Fail to care for another properly

  • Not providing shelter

  • Not providing food or water

• Discrimination

  —> The unjust treatment of different categories of people

  • Race

  • Gender

  • Age

• Violence

  —> Behaviour involving physical force intended to hurt another person

Why do people use their power in negative ways?

• Bragging

• Display of power

• Personal gain

• Disadvantage others

BYSTANDERS AND UPSTANDERS

What role can a bystander play when they witness a negative incident?

• Distracting

• Balancing

• Reasoning

• Supporting

• Getting help

How can we be respectful when integrating with people who have different values/opinions to us?

• Assertively sharing your opinion (communication)

• Compromising and agreeing to have different opinions values (listening)

• Admitting if you were wrong or did something to hurt the other person (responsibility)

• Accept other people’s viewpoints as their own (show respect)

• Try to see from their point of view (show empathy)

• Find fiends that respect differences (support)

3T’s - What to do when you feel uncomfortable in a situation

Trust - your thoughts and feelings

Talk - about the situation with someone you trust

Talk control - use your plan to be comfortable and safe

5 step strategy to resolving conflict

1) Establish rules

2) Identify conflict

3) Offer solutions

4) Make an agreement

5) Review the agreement

SEEKING HELP

What can we do to protect our safety relationships with friends or partners?

Set boundaries, communicate well when something makes you upset or uncomfortable, leave an unsafe environment

How can we prevent abuse or harm?

Say no to attitudes or behaviours that support violence, help boys to create more positive relationships and attitudes with women, call out sexist behaviours, challenge stereotypes, speak out when you see something

Who and where can we turn for support when we feel there is an imbalance of power in a relationship?

School counsellor, Teacher, Year coordinator, trusted adults

4 steps we can take to help stop online bullying

• Don’t feed the trolls

• Collect evidence

• Tell someone

• Protect yourself online