NPR

How To Talk To Young People About The Kavanaugh Story

In the age of #MeToo, experts say parents are the primary educators about consent, and the current debate offers a teachable moment.
Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh during the second day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill.

Young people around the country are among those joining the debate over Christine Blasey Ford's accusation of sexual assault against Judge Brett Kavanaugh in 1982, when both were teenagers.

What are teens learning from all this? And how should adults be handling this conversation?

One night during the summer of 2017, a teenager named Francesca in Virginia was assaulted by a classmate: "I was pinned down and he fondled my breasts and sexually assaulted me." We're only using her first name because she's 15 years old.

Francesca says she struggled at first with coming forward, but eventually became an activist and public speaker

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR5 min read
After Years In A Syrian ISIS Camp, A 10-person American Family Is Back In The U.S.
A family of 10 American citizens who were held for years in a Syrian refugee camp and detention center for relatives of Islamic State militants are now back in the United States, the result of complex negotiations that also returned two young sons of
NPR5 min readAmerican Government
Adult Film Star Stormy Daniels Is Testifying Against Trump In New York Trial
Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, has spent the last several years in legal battles with former President Trump. She has taken the stand to testify against him in a criminal trial.
NPR4 min read
What Are Sperm Whales Saying? Researchers Find A Complex 'Alphabet'
Researchers say sperm whales have a complex communication system, an example of how new technology is opening up the mysterious world of animal language.

Related Books & Audiobooks