If you see warning signs from your child or an adult, or you hear about something that sounds like abuse, RESPOND by reporting it immediately.

How to react if your child tells you about sexual abuse or inappropriate behavior

Your response plays a big role in how your child understands abuse and how he/she recovers.

  • Give attention, compassion, and belief.
  • Listen calmly and openly.
  • Don’t fill in gaps.
  • Don’t ask leading questions about the details.
  • Ask open-ended questions like, “what happened next?”
  • Don’t overreact.
  • Say, “I believe you” and “what happened is not your fault.”

What to do if you believe a child is being abused

You do not need to have proof that abuse is occurring to make a report, only reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion means that you have witnessed maltreatment or boundary violations, either in the child or adult, or both. Or, you have received a disclosure from a child about abuse, neglect, or boundary violations towards them.

FILE A REPORT

Child sexual abuse reports should be made to the police and/or state child protective services.

SEEK ASSISTANCE

Contact the Darkness to Light helpline at 1.866.FOR.LIGHT (1.866.367.54448) or text LIGHT to 741741 to have questions answered by trained counselors at no charge.