Adult Behaviors

You are not alone. Help is available. If you are in crisis and need help immediately, please consult one of the following toll-free national hotlines or contact your local police or emergency services. All hotlines are free. Resources: Childhelp (1.800.4ACHILD) Provides 24/7 assistance in 170...

Someone you love or care about may be acting in ways that worry or confuse you. Maybe you’ve noticed inappropriate behaviors that have a sexual tone or make others feel awkward, nervous, or embarrassed. Or, you might know of current sexual abuse, possibly involving child pornography that must be...

Over 90% of the time, children are sexually abused by someone they know, trust, or love. Even when we know and believe this statistic as a fact it can be hard to believe that someone we know and love could also be sexually inappropriate or sexually abuse a child. It can be hard to reconcile the...

Trust your gut If you have a gut feeling that something isn’t right you might be tempted just to ignore it. Talking about sex is never easy. Talking about sexual abuse is even harder, especially when you care about the people involved. But your gut feeling is a reaction to something real that you...

When a child discloses sexual abuse, here are some important things that the child will need you to do: Stay steady The child will look to you for cues that they will be okay. Unquestionably, sexual abuse can change a child’s view of the world. Yet, regardless of how devastated you are, they need...

Not everything you share with a therapist can be kept confidential. What an individual tells his or her therapist is confidential; however, there are limitations to the confidentiality between a therapist and a client. Laws in all 50 states require a therapist to contact authorities if a patient is...

Child sexual abuse can be a very confusing topic, both to adults and to children. Below are six clarifications of common misunderstandings many adults have articulated on our Helpline while attempting to make sense out of confusing situations. Child sexual abuse does not have to involve physical...

All children are curious about sex. The more children know about their own sexuality, the less likely it is that others will take advantage of them because of their lack of knowledge. Having ongoing conversations with children and teens about their own developing sexuality is an important part of...

We already know how difficult it is for children to talk about experiencing sexual harm or abuse, whether by an adult or by another child. When sexually abusive behavior occurs online, some children may not even realize they are being abused or exploited; and those who do still may not tell anyone...

There are several ways that a person might sexually exploit a child or youth online. A note about youth internet use Technology is woven into our everyday lives, and it is necessary in many ways even for young children. Young people are spending more time than ever before using devices, and so it...