Supporting Indigenous Teens through Digital Dating Violence
A Note on Language
In this toolkit, we will sometimes use the word woman/women and feminine pronouns for simplicity and to recognize the significant impact technology-facilitated violence has on women and girls. We recognize that TFGBV also impacts trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit people. We hope that all people impacted by TFGBV will find these documents useful.
Some Indigenous teens live in isolated communities and may not have access to the resources that teens living in urban centres have. This info sheet provides tips to support Indigenous teens experiencing digital dating violence. It can be used with other specific info sheets in the Teen Digital Dating Violence and Supporting Teens Experiencing Digital Dating Violence toolkits.
Suggested Strategies:
- Start your conversation by asking teens what tech is and what tech they use. Tech can be any device they use nowadays.
- Define abuse – verbal, emotional, physical, sexual, financial, and tech-facilitated gender-based violence. You can use the following resources to help you describe abuse:
- Explain how tech can be misused for abuse – you can use the following resources to help:
- Embed links to important resources you create to support youth such as:
- Explain to teens what a safety plan is and how to create one. You can support teens to create one using the Kids Help Phone Safety Plan Info Sheet.
- Include pop art in any resource you create.
- Use QR codes in your resources so that youth can access your program’s supports quickly
Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) is part of a continuum of violence that can be both online and in-person. If you or someone you know is experiencing TFGBV, you are not alone. You can use sheltersafe.ca to find a shelter/transition house near you to discuss options and create a safety plan. You don’t need to stay in a shelter to access free, confidential services and support.
We gratefully acknowledge Carrier Sekani Family Services and the Indigenous Shelter Advisory Committee for their support in the creation of this information sheet.