Life Skills & Value Education – CLASS-VII – UNIT-6 Abuses

What is abuse? Abuse is treating someone badly or hurting them. The person who does the abuse is called an abuser. Abuse can make us feel hurt, confused, ashamed, sad, scared and guilty. Abusers indulge in many types of abuse like:

Physical: It is when a person physically hurts or causes harm to another person. Whether or not the person being harmed has been injured, it is still counted as physical abuse. So, someone may not be injured by a pinch or a slap, but it is still physical abuse. Physical abuse crosses a person’s physical boundaries.

Verbal: Screaming, saying bad

words, swearing or saying hurtful things to someone is called verbal abuse. Many people swear, but it is a kind of verbal abuse, and it should not become a habit. It is wrong to hurt someone with words. We should not do it.

Emotional: It hurts our feelings. Some examples of emotional abuse are:

• Name-calling or saying things to hurt   someone’s feelings on purpose.
• Telling someone that they’re bad and deserve to be punished.
• Locking someone in a room, closet, or other place.
• Scaring someone by saying that bad things will happen to them or their loved ones if they don’t listen to or do what the abuser wants.

Family: It is when a parent, family member or caregiver abuses or neglects a child. This can happen in different ways, like when a family member fails to care properly for their child. For example, when parents do not give their children enough

warm clothes for winter or when they do not look after their child when they are sick. This is physical neglect. Just like this, there can be emotional neglect. For example, when a family member does not care when their child is going through a difficult time or does not make them feel loved and supported.

Sexual:  Sometimes, we may not be sure if what has happened to us is sexual abuse. That’s why it is important to pay attention to our feelings. If we feel uncomfortable, dirty, helpless, scared, angry, ashamed, guilty, or upset, it may be sexual abuse. It is wrong of the abuser to abuse us. Whenever an abuse happens, it is always the fault of the abuser and the abuser alone. If we feel we have been abused, we should tell someone we trust as soon as possible so that we can get help, be safe, and feel safe.

We should always try to protect ourselves from abuse. Maybe the abuse happened, or is still happening, and we are too scared, worried or confused to tell anyone about it. Still, it is important that we stay safe. Here are some tips:

1.Make and follow safety plans like ‘The Seven Safety Rules’

2. Try not to be alone with the person who abused you. If you know the person is going to be somewhere, either try to have someone with you, or try to avoid being there at the same time as the abuser.

3. Make excuses: It’s alright to make excuses and to be safe. For example, you could say: “l have to go because my grandmother is waiting for me.”

4. Plan where you can go or hide where your abuser won’t find you. If you are forced to be with the abuser alone, you can lock yourself in the bathroom or in a room till someone else comes, or till the abuser goes away.

5. Ask a friend to be with you at the time the abuser usually tries to be abusive.

The best way to protect yourself is to tell someone you trust, as soon as possible!

How to tell a trusted adult?

It is good that you have adults you love and trust, but it is still hard to tell them  about abuse. You need to be brave and talk about it because that is the only way to stop the abuse and help you be safe and feel safe. Here are some ways you can tell a trusted grown-up:

1. Go to the trusted adult when no one else is around. Say, “I need to talk to you.”

2. Go where you will not be disturbed and say, “Something has happened. I need your  help.”

3. Say, “Someone has hurt me / touched me / abused me, and I want it to stop.”

The person you tell might be surprised, upset or sad or shocked to hear what has happened to you. They may become angry or may say that they don’t believe you. This does not mean that the adult thinks you are lying . It is just that they are shocked and will take some time to get used to the fact that someone has tried to do something unsafe to you. It may also be because they may feel that the abuser could not have done this type of abuse to you. Don’t be scared if the person you tell becomes very angry. They are not angry with you, they are not blaming you. They are angry that the abuse happened, and they may be extremely angry with the abuser. This does not mean that their anger is meant for you. It’s not your fault that you were abused. If the person you tell doesn’t help you right away, tell someone else. Keep telling till someone believes you, even if the person you tell believes you, you can always tell another person also. If you are not ready to speak to someone you can try telling them in a letter. Give the letter to a grown up you trust even if you are not ready to give the letter to someone, writing it all down will help. And when you  feel ready, you can give the letter to a trusted adult who can help you .

If you have been brave enough to tell about the abuse and the person you told believed you, you may think that everything will be alright, immediately. You may think that the abuser will be caught and punished and will never be able to come near you again. But in reality, it might take some time before you feel safe again. This is because responsible people need to meet to decide what action to take. Then they will have to take that action. You will also need some time to get used to the changes that take place. As these changes take place, you can help yourself feel better and safe by:

1. Talking to someone – It is important to be able to share your feelings with an adult you trust. It’s okay to ask for help because you will need help. In fact, it is good to ask for help.

2. Keep busy- Do things you like to do.

3.Spend time with your friends.

4.Watch funny, superhuman movies and TV shows. Laughing is good and will always help you feel better.

5.Join a team. Playing sports is a great way to make new friends and stay busy, and exercise makes you feel happy. 6.Journal: Write a diary every day. Feelings are private. You don’t have to share them if you don’t want to. Your journal is a safe place to write down what you feel.

Download DIf you have been brave enough to tell about the abuse and the person you told believed you, you may think that everything will be alright, immediately. You may think that the abuser will be caught and punished and will never be able to come near you again. But in reality, it might take some time before you feel safe again. This is because responsible people need to meet to decide what action to take. Then they will have to take that action. You will also need some time to get used to the changes that take place. As these changes take place, you can help yourself feel better and safe by:

1. Talking to someone – It is important to be able to share your feelings with an adult you trust. It’s okay to ask for help because you will need help. In fact, it is good to ask for help.

2. Keep busy- Do things you like to do.

3.Spend time with your friends.

4.Watch funny, superhuman movies and TV shows. Laughing is good and will always help you feel better.

5.Join a team. Playing sports is a great way to make new friends and stay busy, and exercise makes you feel happy. 6.Journal: Write a diary every day. Feelings are private. You don’t have to share them if you don’t want to. Your journal is a safe place to write down what you feel.

Download PDF : ashamodernschool.in Class-7-Life-Skills-2025-26