A teachers’ pack on domestic violence is being piloted in schools in the London borough of Islington and is expected to be published in time for the autumn term.
Put together by the council’s Women’s Equality Unit, it aims to “contribute to creating a society in which violence against women and children will no longer be seen as acceptable”, says the pack’s main author Davina James-Hanman. “If we truly want to eliminate domestic violence we must educate boys to understand that violence is never a solution,” she added. “We need to educate our girls to have higher expectations of themselves, their relationships and society at large”.
Research by Women’s Aid and other major children’s charities suggests that the impact of witnessing domestic violence has a far greater impact on children than previously thought.
The pack, which covers domestic violence from lots of different angles, contains activity sheets and background information. Islington Women’s Equality Unit, Town Hall, Upper Street, London N1 2UD Tel: 0171 477 3137
