If you feel worried or unsure about anything, it is very important that you ask for help.
Talk to an adult you trust
• someone in your family
• a parent or carer
• a family friend
• your school teacher
• a police officer
• a doctor
• a sports coach
• a counsellor.
You can also talk to another safe person in your
life, like a friend or your brother or sister.
The right person can help you with the next
steps.
There are also places in the community that
you can trust to help you and listen to what has
happened. Calling these numbers is free.
Talk to an adult you trust
- someone in your family
- a parent or carer
- a family friend
- your school teacher
- a police officer
- a doctor
- a sports coach
- a counsellor.
If you think you or anyone
else is at immediate risk of
harm,contact 000 for urgent
police or medical help.
If you have been sexually
abused, feel scared or unsafe, or
something has happened and
you want help from the police,
you can call ,contact 131 444 or visit your or CrimeStoppers
anonymously on ,contact 1800 333 000.
Call the police
If you think you or anyone else is at immediate risk of harm, contact 000 for urgent police or medical help.
If you have been sexually abused, feel scared or unsafe, or something has happened and you want help from the police, you can call 131 444 or visit your or CrimeStoppers anonymously on, contact 1800 333 000.
You may be scared you will get into trouble if you tell. But all children have the right to tell their story at any time – for example, when it is happening, straight after it has happened, or days, weeks or even years later.
You might care for or love the person who abused you. If you have been abused by someone you know, like a family member, it can be confusing because you might be worried about them getting into trouble. But it is not a child’s job to protect someone who is hurting them or making them feel unsafe. There are adults whose job it is to help in these situations. It is important that you speak up when you can, and help to keep yourself and other kids safe.
You might be embarrassed about what has happened to you. It might be very upsetting and it might have happened to other children. You can talk to someone trustworthy and they will be able to support you to get help.
You might feel you are to blame, especially if you didn’t clearly say “no” or if you said “yes” to something you didn’t understand or have changed your mind about. It is a common response to freeze when you feel scared. Sometimes children agree with adults even if they don’t want to. But safe adults never ask you to do something unsafe. Children are never to blame, and what has happened is not your fault. Children have the right to tell the truth and to get help.
If you have been sexually abused you may experience a range of physical or emotional effects. Physical effects could include pain or injury to private parts, nightmares, weight loss and headaches. Emotional effects or changes to behaviour could include feeling down, worried, angry, or scared of certain people or places. You may feel upset about what has happened to you and how you are feeling. But there are people who will help you feel better and keep safe.
You might sometimes feel you might not be listened to or no one will believe you. But there are people who will listen to you and help you. Children have the right to be heard. If you tell someone and they don’t believe you, it is important that you find another safe person to talk to.
You may be scared you will get into trouble if you tell. But all children have the right to tell their story at any time – for example, when it is happening, straight after it has happened, or days, weeks or even years later.
You might care for or love the person who abused you. If you have been abused by someone you know, like a family member, it can be confusing because you might be worried about them getting into trouble. But it is not a child’s job to protect someone who is hurting them or making them feel unsafe. There are adults whose job it is to help in these situations. It is important that you speak up when you can, and help to keep yourself and other kids safe.
You might be embarrassed about what has happened to you. It might be very upsetting and it might have happened to other children. You can talk to someone trustworthy and they will be able to support you to get help.
You might feel you are to blame, especially if you didn’t clearly say “no” or if you said “yes” to something you didn’t understand or have changed your mind about. It is a common response to freeze when you feel scared. Sometimes children agree with adults even if they don’t want to. But safe adults never ask you to do something unsafe. Children are never to blame, and what has happened is not your fault. Children have the right to tell the truth and to get help.
If you have been sexually abused you may experience a range of physical or emotional effects. Physical effects could include pain or injury to private parts, nightmares, weight loss and headaches. Emotional effects or changes to behaviour could include feeling down, worried, angry, or scared of certain people or places. You may feel upset about what has happened to you and how you are feeling. But there are people who will help you feel better and keep safe.
You might sometimes feel you might not be listened to or no one will believe you. But there are people who will listen to you and help you. Children have the right to be heard. If you tell someone and they don’t believe you, it is important that you find another safe person to talk to.
Who can I call?
How can I keep myself and my friends safe?
- Someone has sexually abused me.
- Someone is touching me in a way I don’t like.
- Someone is speaking to me in a way that is sexual.
- Someone is asking me to, or making me, do sexual things.
- Even though I am not sure how to describe it, I think someone is sexually abusing me.
- I think someone is sexually abusing someone I know.
Find out other places you can call for help→
What is child safety and child sexual abuse?→
If you are experiencing image-based abuse or “revenge porn” the eSafety Commissioner
can help.
“Revenge porn” can involve someone sharing intimate or nude images or videos of you. It is
against the law.
The eSafety Commissioner can help if:
• you want to remove images or videos
• You are being pressured to send nudes
• You are receiving unwanted nudes
• Someone is threatening to share your nudes
What is child safety and abuse?
