This podcast was a bit difficult for me. If you know a child who is being abused, or you yourself are being abused, GET HELP! 

NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). Crisis Counselors are available 24/7

What to report

Explain, as well as you can, what happened or is happening to the child.  Describe the nature of the abuse or neglect.  Be as specific as possible.

It is helpful to have as much of the following information as you can when you call:

• Name of birth parents or guardian

• Date of birth for parents and children

• Address of parents and children

• School in which the children attend

• Articulate the safety issue (What is the parent or guardian doing or not doing that is causing the child harm?)

• When the safety issued occurred and how often

• Name, date of birth, and location if possible, of the person who caused the hurt or harm.

Even if you do not know all of this information, report what you do know. Tell all you know about the situation.

Getting help

Children who have been abused need caring adults to help them recognize that they are not responsible for the violence in their homes and to help them find ways to grow past their present trauma into healthy adults. Caring adults must help abused children avoid a cycle of learned abusive patterns by teaching and modeling nonviolent methods of conflict resolution and helping them express their feelings in healthy ways.

Your community has victim assistance programs and counselors who are trained to work with child abuse victims. These advocates can provide information and a full range of victim support services. The services are available to all child victims even if no one is charged with a crime.

NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). Crisis Counselors are available 24/7