WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT OR YOUR CHILD REPORTS SEXUAL ABUSE
IF YOU SUSPECT, OR YOUR
CHILD REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TOUCHED INAPPROPRIATELY...
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If your child tells you that he or she
has been touched inappropriately,
stay calm and believe them.
Your reaction might make your child feel more guilty or
afraid and, they might have a harder time talking about what
happened. the prognosis for healing is better for
children who are calmly supported and believed when they
disclose.
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Tell your child you
are glad they told you about it. Telling was a good
way to take care of themselves and also, the person who
touched them. Tell your child that the bigger person
probably needs help with their "touching problem" and that
your child did a brave thing by telling. Tell your
child that you will take care of things and that you will
need to talk to someone to figure out what to do next.
Be careful to not make promises you can't keep.
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Call your local
child abuse hotline or local police department and report
the abuse. Failing to report the abuse ASAP may mean
that other children will get abused too. Don't try to
handle the situation yourself and don't talk to the offender
before you call the police. Don't allow any further
contact between the child and alleged offender unless child
protective services tell you it's alright.
-
Seek support and
comfort for yourself where the child can't see or hear what
you say.
-
In order to avoid
confusion, anxiety or guild, children should not overhear
conversations about their disclosure. Too much
information/discussion can confuse/upset them and can also
interfere with the police investigation or prosecution that
may need to take place later.