My DD is late teens. Stuck on how/if I should help.
So far, every semester has included at least one class discussing rape/sexual assault without warning. The advance reading list is meant to have content warnings, and they are good at this, but these are mainly unseen materials so presented with no introduction (for eg an extract that discusses a rape, they are meant to analyse the language and how it reflects on the headspace of the victim).
DD was the victim in a pretty horrible rape & assault a few years ago. Obv all rapes are horrible- this was on the extreme end tho (involved kidnap & heavy repeated violence and sexual assaults before she escaped). She has been in therapy since it happened, and is generally doing well, she is a very brave girl. However, she’s started to experience anxiety at the thought of even going into school, or doing her coursework, which to me is clearly caused by the regular surprise discussions of rape. She says she is just stupid and blames herself, which is awful to watch.
She has been very responsible since the beginning of the academic year, when she started at this school- she approached the head of disability welfare and got a statement for her PTSD, she has talked to her head of faculty on multiple occasions who has been very understanding given her situation, but it hasn’t changed anything with the most recent example being this week. She keeps it together in class but falls apart at home and is behind on work, let alone the strain on her MH. She says she knows how important these issues are and doesn’t want to avoid or censor them but feels unable to cope with school now.
For various reasons she can’t change school. She is now wanting to drop out and get a job instead as she won’t have to keep being surprised by analysing rape scenes. AIBU & a helicopter parent to get involved on her behalf? Is the school BU to keep including unseen examples to do with rape & abuse? Or AIBU to expect them to change the way things are taught when it is DD’s issue alone?