Important: If students have not previously viewed the entire film, be sure to share with them a general summary and how the clip(s) they are about to see fit into the film’s narrative.

Materials

• Film clips from Minding the Gap and a way to screen them
• "Abuse Defined" fact sheet from the National Domestic Violence Hotline

Learning Goal: Students will identify various types of domestic violence and consider the lifelong impact of experiencing or witnessing abuse as children.

Activity

Screen the film clips. Between each, pause for individuals, pairs, or small groups, to use the information provided from the National Domestic Violence Hotline and their own knowledge of domestic abuse to identify the kind of domestic abuse that is being experienced. What is the evidence to support your answer?

Continue the discussion with any or all of these prompts:

• Identify and explain the direct and indirect consequences of domestic violence.
• Create a metaphor or symbol that explains or depicts how domestic violence impacts the lives of partners, friends, and/or children who experience domestic violence directly or indirectly.
• What did you learn from the clips about the ways that men are impacted by domestic violence? How is it similar to and different from the ways that women are typically impacted?
• How does domestic violence in same-gender relationships alter our views about who is typically identified as victims or perpetrators of domestic violence?

Follow-Up Ideas

Bring national attention to domestic violence by writing a song. Identify an artist you would choose to perform your song at a national music awards show. Why did you select that artist to represent a campaign about domestic violence? As an example of a song about an important, volatile issue, you might want to listen to Logic’s song about suicide prevention called 1-800-273-8255 featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid. In the song, one question Logic continually asks is, “Who can relate?” He also repeatedly says, “I want to you be alive. You don’t have to die today.”

Create a slogan that could be placed on a T-Shirt, snapback (baseball cap), or in a national campaign to address the domestic violence against boys and men.

Stage an in-class debate that will allow students to utilize facts / data to support arguments and to make claims about domestic violence and its impact on men and women. Have audience members serve as evaluators to determine which side presented the better arguments. Formulate debate prompts using statements from the film about domestic violence.

Brainstorm ways to reduce or eliminate IPV in your school or community.

Have students complete the online Stay or Go activity from the youth-focused website, REACH: Relationship Education, A Choice for Hope produced by the organization Between Friends. Their website includes further resources for engaging youth in productive activities around healthy relationships.