What does it mean for young women to be FREE?
What can be done to ensure young women stay Focused, be Resilient, feel Empowered and realize they are Enough?
Club FREE will be a center that helps girls build self-confidence through self-enrichment activities such as public speaking, entrepreneurship, and the arts – with the long-term goal of reducing sexual assault and trafficking for these girls.
So, why is Club FREE being created? Are sexual assault and trafficking really such common threats?
Yes.
In 2021, 10,359 situations of human trafficking were reported to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline involving 16,554 individual victims. Traffickers typically choose to prey on individuals who have economic or social vulnerabilities – young people who are affected by poverty or homelessness or have experienced abuse whether physical, sexual, or substance abuse. This may happen in public places, or online. These traffickers pretend to be the victim’s friend, making offers such as presents, food, or most frequently – a ‘safe place’ to share their thoughts and feelings – a false sense of empathy, acceptance, or a place to belong.
This is why Club FREE was created. At She’s My Daughter, we believe the best defenses against sexual assault and trafficking are strong family relationships and tight-knit, aware communities.
A staggering amount of research continues to show that one special relationship is a critical indicator of a girl’s defenses against these issues: her relationship with her dad. A girl’s dad is her first glimpse into what it means to be a man – whether she realizes it or not, she will measure all other men against the example he sets forward.
Research has shown a girl’s relationship with her dad significantly impacts her confidence, self-esteem, and ability to speak up. Her experiences with her dad can dictate how she is able to come to trust others, and how she finds a sense of belonging. Girls need to be acknowledged, validated, and cherished by their dads. If not, they can begin to suffer from low self-esteem and look for that acknowledgment and reassurance in other (and often dangerous) places.
How can Dads create this positive, safe environment for their daughters to build confidence?
Create a Secure Attachment Style
What is a secure attachment style? It is where a child feels the most comforted and protected in the presence of their caregiver. They will prefer their caregiver to strangers, and seek acknowledgment and reassurance from their caregiver. How can a secure attachment style be implemented? Encourage your daughter to be open about her feelings and emotions. This will lead to healthy regulation of big feelings, such as sadness and anger. Listen to your daughter. When she knows she has a safe place to share, she will develop healthy skills around trusting and being empathetic.
Practice Mindfulness when discussing body and body image
A study published in the American Psychological Association’s journal Behavioral Neuroscience focused specifically on fathers’ interactions with their toddlers. The research showed that dads with daughters used more language referring to their child’s body such as “belly” and “tummy.” Be mindful of how you talk about bodies with your daughter. Make sure to focus on positive attributes that do not have to do with body type, body parts, or other physical characteristics. Use concepts like Body Positivity or Body Neutrality – whatever works best for your family.
Encourage healthy eating and movement
Encourage healthy eating habits and regular movement. Educate yourself on nutrition and share healthy recipe ideas with your daughter. Be mindful about how you talk about food with your daughter – adopt the mentality that food is first and foremost nourishment for our bodies, instead of designating certain types of food as “good” or “bad.” Encourage and participate in regular movement with your daughter: an outdoor walk, at-home dance party, a yoga video on YouTube – there are tons of free options to get active and build that special bond.
Monitor media habits
Keep an eye on how often your child uses social media, and what types of media they are consuming. Make sure to have conversations about the negative messages social media, TV, and movies can send about bodies and body image.
Open Communication
Establish an open line of communication with your daughter from a very young age. This ensures they will be comfortable enough to talk to you, and you first, about topics and issues happening in their lives.
I want to learn more about Club FREE.
Club FREE will be a center that helps girls build self-confidence through self-enrichment activities such as public speaking, entrepreneurship, and the arts – with the long-term goal of reducing sexual assault and trafficking for these girls.
Let’s take a look at some of the self-enrichment activities and how they will help the girls build confidence!
Public speaking: girls will be encouraged to write, prepare, and present on various topics of their interest. Public speaking increases confidence and helps girls gain skills in organizing and presenting information – they will begin to see themselves as influential thought leaders. Public speaking is also a great tool to have in a future young professional’s toolbox.
Entrepreneurship: girls will be encouraged to research, prepare, and present business ideas and plans. This will help them to learn critical thinking skills and analyze topics objectively. Entrepreneurial endeavors are a great way for girls to self-reflect on areas for personal growth, and approach topics and issues with creative solutions. And again, entrepreneurial experiences are a great asset to any future young professional.
The Arts: girls will be given access to numerous resources within the Arts including opportunities like drawing, painting, journaling, creative writing, playwriting, poetry, slam poetry, Film analysis, Historical Fiction analysis and more. Specifically, they will be exposed to works that highlight the monumental achievements and life stories of remarkable women throughout history. Involvement and exposure to the arts at a young age will help the girls build self-esteem and awareness.
Claire Writes 
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