Reporting Child Sexual Abuse

If you suspect a child is being sexually abused, getting the proper help and support is vital. Typically, the situations that require reporting are:

A child and/or adult shows numerous and consistent warning signs of abuse or being at risk to abuse
A child has stated that he or she is being abused by an adult
A child has stated that another child has been engaging in sexually harmful behaviors with him or her
A child states that he or she has sexually harmed another child
An adult has stated that he or she has sexually abused a child
An individual has become aware of child pornographyⁱ online
An adult is aware of another adult or child who is viewing child pornographyⁱ

If an adult who is responsible for caring for a child is suspected of sexually abusing a child, then the local child protection services should be contacted. If an adult who is not in a caregiving position with a child is suspected of sexual abuse, the local police should be notified. Concerns about child pornographyⁱ can be reported to either the local police or cyber crime tiplines.