Prevention for children: Theater project strengthens protection against abuse in Eschwege!

Prevention for children: Theater project strengthens protection against abuse in Eschwege!

In the city of Eschwege we not only teach, but also protect! The prevention project “My Body Belongs to Me” has proven to be a real blessing for primary school children in protecting them from sexual abuse and violence. With the support of Sparkasse Werra-Meißner and the Sparkasse Cultural Foundation Hessen-Thuringia, primary schools in the region have been enjoying this important offer since 2019. In the 2024/25 school year, seven primary schools in the Eschwege district will benefit from the project, which is enjoying great popularity.

Around 500 third and fourth grade students have already taken part in the prevention theater. The theater teachers Tabea Koch and Dorit Müller lead the program in the presence of the class teachers and playfully teach the children what it means to recognize their own limits. “My Body Belongs to Me” is a three-part program that focuses on emotional education. Here the little ones learn to differentiate their feelings – between the “yes feeling” and the “no feeling”.

An integral part of the lesson

The topic is presented clearly with example stories, game scenes and child-friendly conversations. A “Körpersong”, performed at the beginning and end of each lesson, aims to strengthen children’s body awareness and self-love. School principal Nicole Schröder was grateful for the support of the project and pointed out the accompanying role of social worker Sarina Hemmer, who is responsible for implementing the program.

The importance of the topic for the development of protection concepts in schools was also highlighted by Luisa Wetterau from the state education authority. It is crucial to give children the tools at an early age so that they can recognize dangers independently. To make this possible, there is mandatory training for teachers in a workshop. Alexander Först from the Werra-Meißner Police Department noted that such topics need to be repeated in the school context. “We must not let up,” said Först.

A sustainable approach

The financial resources for the project are generous: the Sparkasse's charitable foundations are supporting the preventive project with 15,000 euros. Dietmar Janz, member of the foundation's board, announced that these funds will also be available next year. The Sparkasse thus shows a great commitment to the sustainability of the project.

An important aspect of the project is the involvement of parents in the preparation of the teaching project in order to communicate the content clearly and avoid misunderstandings. But that's not all - at the same time, the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) has approved a guideline for "Child Protection in Schools", which was developed to support schools in creating effective protection concepts against sexual violence. According to kmk.org, the process for developing such concepts is designed as a school development process that requires time and a change in awareness.

The fundamental aim of the guide is to help schools develop clear and effective protection concepts in order to gain confidence in their actions. The materials are practical and can be individually adapted.

Overall, the “My Body Belongs to Me” project impressively shows how important preventative measures are in schools. It is clear that those responsible must deal intensively with this sensitive issue in order to create a safe learning environment for the children. The commitment and support in Eschwege is therefore not only commendable, but also essential for the future of the children in the region.