This lesson looks at Digital Dating Abuse and the role we can play in intervening online.
Learning intentions:
Recognise the role digital technologies may
play in Dating Abuse
Develop and apply vocabulary
related to Digital Dating Abuse
Understand the risks and legal
consequences of Digital Abuse, password sharing and sexting
Identify opportunities for Bystander Intervention
Digital Educator: Charlie
12-30 learners
Class size
10+
Year Level
60 minutes
Course duration
Two
Student Handouts
Preparing for the lesson
Information
Resources
ACHPE Objectives
UNESCO Objectives
Safety & Wellbeing
Sequence
Extension
In this Relationships Are Online Too lesson students will learn about the concepts of coercion, Digital Dating Abuse, and Sextortion.
The lesson starts with a short video and discussion of the various situations where Sextortion and Image
Based Abuse can occur, using definitions of online behaviours with strangers and in relationships. In small groups, students brainstorm the behaviours of Digital Dating Abuse to assess prior knowledge before working through a case study to identify instances of harm and opportunities for intervention.
The lesson concludes with a video emphasising Bystander behaviours online and the importance of working together to interrupt harm.
Each lesson ends with a consolidation activity, inviting students to list 1
thing they have learnt from the lesson, 1 thing they already knew, 1 piece of
advice they would share with a friend, and 1 adult or organisation that would
be helpful in relation to the lesson topic.
AC9HP10P03: Investigate how gender inequality and challenging assumptions about gender can prevent violence in relationships.
Investigating and challenging attitudes that lead to people enacting, excusing, or condoning gender-based violence.
Evaluating how gender equality can empower people to develop equal and respectful relationships.
AC9HP10P04: Evaluate the influence of respect, empathy, power and coercion on establishing and maintaining respectful relationships.
Investigating the characteristics of positive, respectful relationships and the rights and ethical responsibilities of individuals in relationships.
Investigating how the balance of power influences the nature of relationships and proposing actions that can be taken when a relationship is not respectful.
AC9HP10P08: Plan, rehearse and evaluate strategies for managing situations where their own or others’ health, safety or wellbeing may be at risk.
Understanding the factors that impact a person’s ability to seek, give or deny consent, including when there is an imbalance of power or coercion in the relationship.
Key Concept 1: Relationships 1.2 Friendship, Love and Romantic Relationships.
Key Idea: Romantic relationships can be strongly affected by inequality and differences in power.
Key Idea: There are healthy and unhealthy sexual relationships.
Key Concept 4: Violence and Staying Safe 4.1 Violence.
Key idea: Intimate partner violence is wrong and it is important to seek support if witnessing it.
It is important to acknowledge that many young people experiencing Digital Dating Abuse are often scared of getting in trouble. They’re worried about their parent's reactions, that they’ll be told to 'just go offline', judged by friends, or in trouble with the police. These fears can even be suggested by the abuser to maintain control over the victim/survivor, and sadly these things do happen. These fears keep people silent, and the abuse often escalates. Even if you think the young person knows you’ll support them, having these conversations in blame-free and judgment-free ways can make a big difference in them sharing their experiences with you when something goes wrong.
There is a high likelihood that students will have experienced Digital Dating Abuse either as the person being harmed, causing harm, or having contributed to the issue through their actions online. Support students to recognise the importance of ethical online behaviour not only for their own digital footprint but for the potential impacts their behaviour can have on others.
1. Students should each choose one digital device (e.g., phone, game console) or social network (e.g. Instagram, X, TikTok) that they use frequently and look into how to report Digital Abuse on the device, provider or network. Have them write out in their own words what procedure to follow. They should then write a paragraph responding to the following questions:
Do you think this procedure is effective?
Do you see any problems or difficulties?
Can you make recommendations for improvement?
2. Students can explore the Image Based Abuse Handout and discuss the different elements, including threatening to distribute, non-consensual distribution, non-consensual production, and non-consensual sexualisation. To make this less difficult for students, focus on popular video sharing sites and viral trends and how they might fit under these banners
Ideally, you will have scope to deliver all of the lessons in your program. However we understand that many schools have limited capacity to do so. Should you find yourself having to implement part of this program, we have provided a suggested sequence of lessons within the broader skills and knowledge categories of relationship, consent, gender, and health & legal literacy. We recommend delivering at least one lesson from each category.
Group Agreements & Pod Mapping should be the first lesson as per best practice.
Sex, Ethics & Alcohol: Can They Mix? is better delivered later in the program when students are more familiar with the Respect Collective curriculum.
Respect Collective Pty Ltd acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the lands and waters where we live, work, and meet. We pay our respects to elders past and present. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
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