Slapshot

You're in the hallway between classes. You see a couple you know arguing, then you see the guy push his girlfriend into her locker. The guy isn't a close friend of yours, and neither is the young woman, but you do hang around with the same group of people. No body else is doing anything .

This is an ugly situation..... This guy is being real rough with this girl . . . .I wonder what's going on?.....Should I say something? But if nobody else is stepping in, why should I?.....If I say something, he might come after me.....Am I ready to get into a fight, if it comes to that?.....What if he's got a weapon?.....Besides, if he treats her like that and she stays with him, who am I to get involved? Is it any of my business? But if I don't do something, I'm saying its okay for a guy to abuse a young woman. What should I do this situation?

1. Nothing. It's none of my business.
2. Attempt to distract the couple some how, maybe by talking loudly, in order to defuse the situation.
3. Shout out some thing so that everyone in the hallway hears, like "Hey, what are you doing? Leave her alone!" and stick around to make sure the situation has "cooled" down.
4. Talk to the girl at some point and let her know I saw what was going on and am willing to help her.
5. Do no thing immediately. But as soon as possible, that day or later, I should make a point of talking to the guy and suggesting he get some counseling to deal with his abusive behavior.
6. Talk to my parents, a guidance counselor, the school social worker, a teacher, or the school nurse, and ask their advice on what to do.
7. Personal Option: ________________________

TEACHING SLAPSHOT

BACKGROUND
"Slapshot" has proven to be an effective initial scenario for stimulating an interactive dialogue on some of the dynamics of teen dating violence.

DISCUSSION STARTERS
Why do you think men hit women? (Note: Typically, a young man abuses his girlfriend or significant other to establish or regain power and control over her.) If he does this in public, can you imagine what he might do in private? How would you feel if some one hit your sister in public and no one did anything?

You can say: "This is a really difficult situation, isn't it? It's tough to confront a guy who is abusing a young woman." You can also bring up the young men's understandable anxiety or fear about intervening in a situation where they might face a serious threat of
violence. However, you can point out that intervention can be indirect and they need not put themselves in danger.

COMMON CONCERNS
Differing experiences with weapons: high school students will have varying experiences with and consciousness about weapons, depending on such factors as whether they grew up in a rural, suburban, or urban setting, whether their family keeps guns in the home, etc. "What if the woman stays with the man?" You can discuss briefly some of the reasons why young women stay with abusive men: low self-esteem, emotional attachment, fear of being mo re severely abused or even killed. But emphasize that we need to be focusing on why some men beat women, not why some women stay with men who beat them. "It's none of my business." The single most important thing the MVP Model can accomplish is a change in this attitude.

End the scenario by making it clear that battering is indefensible under any circumstance and that other men's silence condones and hence perpetuates this behavior. Also, caution the young men that when assisting a young woman who has been battered, it is important to be respectful and sensitive to her needs. Tell them: Don't pressure her to admit to being abused. But let her know that she can count on your support if she wants it.