For children and young people
Maybe you have already heard of sexual child abuse recently: on the television, on the Internet or in the newspapers. Or maybe a friend told you about it.
By sexual child abuse, we mean when children (boys and girls), are looked at, touched or kissed unpleasantly against their wishes (will). These people then try to threaten the children for example, or to blackmail them. These children are then scared.
They are often people who are close to the children and are otherwise liked by the children.
These tips should help you to know for sure and get help if you need it.
When girls and boys come to us, they tell us of adults, young people or other children behaving very badly indeed.
The children told us, for example, that:
  | somebody wanted to touch them |
| they were made to look at pictures of naked people |
| they were made to have odd photos taken of them, naked |
| that they were touched on their bum or breasts |
| that they were made to touch somebody else on their bum, their breast, their penis or their vagina |
| that they were asked questions about their naked body on the Internet |
| that they were told to take pictures of themselves naked |
These people can be strangers to you, or you may know them very well. They could be from your family, your school (teacher/pupil), from your leisure club or friends and neighbours of your parents. Sadly, some children experience that which we have described.
That is why there are some important messages for you
| Nobody has the right to scare you! |
| It is never your fault! |
| Trust yourself and your feelings! |
| You are allowed to get help! |
| You are allowed to protect yourself when someone touches you! |
What can you do with us?
| Come round during the opening times |
| Contact us without mentioning your name |
| Call, write or come round without an appointment, as often as you want |
| Talk about what you want to |
| Bring a person you trust |
| Decide how much help you want us to give you |
What will we do?
| Believe you and listen to you |
| Accompany and support you |
| Not do anything without your agreement |
| Search with you for ways of ending the abusive situation |
| Give you good preparation if you want to file a complaint |
| Tell you everything we know about sexual abuse |
We know,
| that many girls and boys are and were forced to experience sexual abuse |
| that it is difficult to talk about |
| that it requires a lot of bravery to come see us |
| that children and young people are never to blame |
| that nobody has the right to hurt you |
| that you have the right to get help and to talk about your experience. |
You can also find more information here:
