TEENS KSACC can help with

Peer Pressure

Most people have a pretty good idea of what they should and shouldn't do.  However, one of the hardest things for a teenager to face and deal with is peer pressure.

It is also difficult for a teen to understand that those same people who are most likely to influence your thoughts and actions today probably will not be around in a few years when you are an adult trying to recover from your mistakes. Figure out what kind of a person you want to be and what kind of standards you want to live by. Next, choose friends who believe in similar things and have similar goals to yours. These are the people who will stand by you and will help you stick to your standards. If you believe that drinking is wrong when you are a teenager, don’t choose friends who think that a good time means raiding their parents’ liquor cabinet. Those people will not help you stick to your standards. They will only try to make you feel like it is your decision that is wrong, not theirs. If your best friend thinks that shoplifting is a joke and she gets caught while she’s with you, who would believe that you were not involved?  Your friends are a reflection of you and you of them. They can be your best supports, or your worst influences. 

You might want to consider talking things over with your friends. Fnd out how they feel. Discuss each other’s morals and why you feel certain things are wrong and why other things are not. The more you prepare yourself for those times when you may feel negative peer pressure, the easier it will be for you to deal with.

DATING VIOLENCE

Dating violence is physical, sexualized, verbal or emotional abuse by someone you are in a dating relationship with.  It can include hitting, slapping, kicking, destruction of property, sexual assault, insults, threats, harassment, stalking and other kinds of abuse.

Teens can be in a relationship where their partner abuses them, but violence doesn't just take place in adult relationships; It affects teens too!  Teen dating relationships can also be violent, but teens often have a tough time getting help.  Teens may not trust adults, not know about their legal rights or might not be able to get transportation.  It can also be hard to escape an abusive person when there's a lot of pressure to be dating someone.

 

What Do I Do If I Suspect I Have Been Drugged

Doesn't mean she is saying Yes

Get to a safe place and tell someone you trust. Have your friends and family support you, if possible. Call 911 and report the incident to the police. Don't destroy any evidence by washing. If possible, do not disturb the scene where the crime occurred. Do not clean up any vomit or other bodily fluids that may have been expelled. Get medical attention as soon as possible. Tell doctors and nurses that you suspect that you have been drugged and advise them of everything you ingested prior to arriving at the hospital. Provide a urine sample in the first 24 hours after the assault, if possible. (This may be your only evidence linking the drug to the crime). Talk to a counsellor for support.  Your emotional and physical health is important.

Have I Been Drugged?   You may wake up feeling confused; experience memory loss; recall having a drink but cannot remember a period of time after consuming that drink (perhaps several hours).  You suspect that sexual contact or rape has occurred and perhaps have unexplained bruising, but can not remember details.

What You Need to Know

About Date Rape Drugs (also described as Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault)

The administration of any drug  or substance in order to incapacitate a victim to a point where they are unable to give or withhold consent, or stop the sexual activity.

Consent:

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, "Consent is defined as a voluntary agreement of the complainant to engage in the sexual activity in question" (Section 273.1)

Consent is deemed NOT to be obtained if;

• It is given by someone else
• The person is unconscious, drunk, stoned, or sleeping
• It is an abuse of power, trust, or authority