Which practice should school staff use to support a student experiencing dating violence?

Which practice should school staff use to support a student experiencing dating violence?

• A. Punish the perpetrator immediately
• B. Withhold information from the student's family
• C. Provide access to support resources and safety planning
• D. Force the student to transfer schools

Answer: (C)

When a student experiences dating violence, the priority is safety and access to help. Providing access to support resources and helping the student develop a safety plan put the student in control of their next steps while connecting them with professionals who can assist, such as counselors, social workers, school administrators, and local domestic violence services. This approach offers confidential, survivor-centered support, bridges the student to needed services, and includes practical steps like identifying safe places at school, trusted contacts to reach in an emergency, and a plan for seeking help or transportation if needed. It also respects the student’s choices and uses a trauma-informed lens to avoid re-traumatizing them. Punishing the perpetrator immediately focuses on consequence rather than the victim’s safety and well-being, which can leave the student without needed support. Withholding information from the student’s family can remove a crucial source of support and protection, and forcing a transfer can disrupt the student’s safety network and access to resources.

When a student experiences dating violence, the priority is safety and access to help. Providing access to support resources and helping the student develop a safety plan put the student in control of their next steps while connecting them with professionals who can assist, such as counselors, social workers, school administrators, and local domestic violence services. This approach offers confidential, survivor-centered support, bridges the student to needed services, and includes practical steps like identifying safe places at school, trusted contacts to reach in an emergency, and a plan for seeking help or transportation if needed. It also respects the student’s choices and uses a trauma-informed lens to avoid re-traumatizing them.

Punishing the perpetrator immediately focuses on consequence rather than the victim’s safety and well-being, which can leave the student without needed support. Withholding information from the student’s family can remove a crucial source of support and protection, and forcing a transfer can disrupt the student’s safety network and access to resources.