Useful role playing will go beyond simply teaching kids to say No, and additionally help children practice responding to seducers' (or predators') further manipulative taunts and shaming tactics. For instance, a boy who is being pressured to have unwanted sex might be told that his refusal to participate means he "must be gay". A statement like this is absurd and manipulative. Most adults would brush it off without a second thought. However, to a young and inexperienced child a comment like this could be devastating. Helping children know how to respond if being accused of "being gay" (where "gay" is intended as an insult and a shameful state of affairs) may help them to be less swayed by the manipulative intent of that remark.
Similar manipulative remarks which children may hear from peers and ought to know how to respond to include, "If you loved me, you would do this", or "If you don't do this, I won't be your boy/girlfriend anymore".
More information about nurturing children and instilling self-esteem can be found in our Middle Childhood Nurturing article. More information on assertive communication may be found in our Self-Help book.