Chapter 14: Safe Me

Lily: "My body is mine. No scary secrets. I tell!"

Every Ranger has the right to be safe, everywhere. If anything makes you feel scared, confused or uncomfortable, you can say no, get away and tell. It is never your fault.

What Rangers know

• My body is mine. No one should touch your private parts, or ask you to touch theirs, look at them or take pictures, except a health worker or carer helping you stay healthy, with your grown-up there.
• Good secrets and bad secrets. Surprises (like a birthday gift) are fine. A secret that makes you feel bad, scared or "yucky" is one you should tell, even if someone said not to, even if they said something bad would happen.
• No, go, tell. Say "No!", get away to a safe place, and tell a safe grown-up. If the first grown-up doesn't help, keep telling until someone does.
• My safe grown-ups. Name at least three: family, a teacher, a camp helper, a health worker. Draw them on your safe-adults card (Item_List_150 #107).
• Hitting, hurting and bullying are never okay, at home, in camp or at school. You can tell about this too.
• Phones and online.
• Never share your location, your camp, your photo or your name with strangers.
• Don't meet anyone you only know from a phone.
• Tell a grown-up about any message that asks for pictures or secrets, or makes you feel bad.
• Aid is free. Food, water, kits and help are free. No one is allowed to ask you for anything (money, favours, pictures, touching) in return. If anyone does, tell a safe grown-up or a camp helper.
• Stay with your group. Don't go off with anyone, even someone kind, without your grown-up knowing.

Older Rangers (12+ only)

• False offers. Be careful of anyone offering:
• a job, school, travel, a boat ride or papers that seem too good
• money or gifts in exchange for "favours"
• to take you "somewhere better" without your family Say no, don't hand over your papers, stay with your group, and tell your grown-up or camp protection staff.
• "Join us." No one should ask children to join an armed group or to carry, watch or deliver things for one. If anyone asks you or a friend, it is not your fault. Get away and tell a trusted grown-up or protection staff. Children who were involved deserve help and safety, not blame.
• Too young to marry. Getting your period or growing up does not mean you're ready for marriage or sex. If anyone is planning a marriage for you or a friend, tell a trusted adult, a teacher or protection staff.
• Look out for friends. If a friend tells you something worrying, believe them, and help them tell a safe grown-up.

Ranger checklist

• ☐ I know my body is mine.
• ☐ I know the difference between a surprise and a bad secret.
• ☐ I know no, go, tell.
• ☐ I can name three safe grown-ups.
• ☐ I never share my location or photos with strangers.
• ☐ I know aid is free, and nobody can ask for anything in return.
• ☐ (12+) I know the warning signs of false offers and "join us".

Earn your badge (Safe Me 🛡️, Heart and Bronze only)

Watch and learn

• Planned: Strangers Who Make Promises
• Planned: Never Trade Your Papers
• Planned: Spot the Smuggler Lure
• Planned: Crowd Safety
• Planned: Child-Friendly Spaces
• Hygiene reel HY21 Clean Body, Fresh Me (body-safety line)
• Handbook Chapters 3, 9 and 10

Grown-up note

If a child tells you about abuse: - stay calm, listen, and believe them - tell them it is not their fault and they were right to tell - don't promise to keep it secret, and don't question them in detail - keep them safe, and contact camp protection staff, child-protection services or a health worker as soon as possible - don't confront the person they named yourself

Children returning from armed groups, or affected by trafficking, need support and reintegration, not punishment. See findahelpline.com for country helplines, and the Grief Center grown-ups page for emotional support.