Contact abuse
Any sexual touching, penetration, or physical contact involving a child. This includes touching that appears affectionate but is sexual in intent.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)A form of abuse
Child sexual abuse and exploitation
Child sexual abuse is any sexual activity with a child in which consent is not or cannot be given. It includes contact abuse, non-contact abuse, exposure, online exploitation, grooming, and the production or sharing of sexual images of children. The abuse is always the responsibility of the adult or older person, never the child.
Why this matters
What survivors already know
Child sexual abuse is rarely a single dramatic event. It is more often a process of grooming, trust-building, secrecy, and gradual boundary violations. The person causing harm is very often someone the child knows: a family member, a family friend, a coach, a teacher, a pastor, or another trusted adult.
Online exploitation has expanded the ways children can be harmed. Predators use social media, gaming platforms, messaging apps, and livestreams to approach children, build relationships, and extract sexual images or encounters. The child may not recognise what is happening as abuse until much later.
Adult survivors carry the effects for decades. Many do not disclose until adulthood. The harm is real whether it was reported at the time or not, and recovery is possible with the right support.
The definition
What it actually is
Non-contact abuse
Exposing a child to sexual acts, showing sexual images, sexual talk, voyeurism, or making a child view or listen to sexual material.
National Sexual Violence Resource CenterOnline exploitation
Grooming, sextortion, livestreaming of sexual abuse, and the creation or sharing of sexual images of children. Online abuse is real abuse and can be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
National Center for Missing & Exploited ChildrenGrooming
A process in which an adult builds a relationship with a child and the adults around the child, gains trust, tests boundaries, and gradually isolates the child for abuse. Grooming is intentional and can happen over weeks or years.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)How it works
The tactics, named one by one
Building trust with the child and adults
The abuser often becomes helpful, generous, and attentive to both the child and the adults around them. They may offer to babysit, drive, coach, or mentor.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)Testing and crossing boundaries
Tickling, roughhousing, accidental touching, and comments about the child's body. The child is told they are special, mature, or the adult's favourite.
National Sexual Violence Resource CenterSecrecy and threats
The child is told the abuse is a secret, that nobody will believe them, that they will get in trouble, or that someone they love will be hurt.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)Grooming online
Flattery, gifts in games, secrets, requests for photos, and the move from public platforms to private messaging. The abuser may pose as a peer.
National Center for Missing & Exploited ChildrenHow to identify it
Signs to look for
One of these on its own may mean nothing. Several of them together, repeated over time, is a pattern, and a pattern is what abuse looks like from the inside.
- 01Unusual sexual knowledge or behaviour for the child's age.
- 02Nightmares, bedwetting, or sudden fear of sleeping alone.
- 03Withdrawal from friends, family, school, or activities they once enjoyed.
- 04Unexplained anger, anxiety, depression, or self-harm.
- 05Changes in eating habits, weight, or hygiene.
- 06Injuries, pain, bleeding, or infections in the genital area.
- 07Reluctance to be alone with a particular person, or sudden fear of a place.
- 08Excessive secrecy about phone, computer, or online activity.
- 09Receiving gifts, money, or privileges from an adult without a clear reason.
Who it happens to
No one group is exempt
Abuse does not respect age, gender, income, faith, or country. These are the people most often affected by this particular form.
Children of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Babies and toddlers can be abused. Teenagers are often targeted through grooming and online contact.
Children who are isolated, have disabilities, lack supportive adults, or are in unstable housing are at higher risk.
Children in households where domestic violence, substance use, or mental illness are present may also be at higher risk.
Adult survivors. Many people who were abused as children continue to live with effects well into adulthood, and may seek support for the first time years later.
What it costs
The damage it leaves behind
Mental health
Post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, dissociation, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, and substance use are common among survivors.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)Physical health
Chronic pain, gynaecological and gastrointestinal problems, sleep disorders, and a higher risk of certain illnesses later in life.
CDC, Adverse Childhood ExperiencesRelationships and trust
Difficulty trusting adults, authority figures, and intimate partners. Survivors may struggle with boundaries, shame, and a sense of being fundamentally damaged.
National Sexual Violence Resource CenterEducational and social effects
School difficulties, social withdrawal, and difficulty concentrating. Children may act out or become unusually compliant.
World Health Organization, Violence against childrenHow to deal with it
What to do, depending on where you are standing
If it is happening to you
- 01
If you are a child or teenager and something is happening that feels wrong, tell a trusted adult: a teacher, nurse, counsellor, coach, or friend's parent. You are not in trouble.
- 02
If you are an adult survivor, it is never too late to seek support. Therapy, support groups, and survivor-led organisations can help.
- 03
In the U.S., you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) for confidential support.
- 04
If you were exploited online or through images, the CyberTipline at cybertipline.org or 1-800-843-5678 can take reports.
- 05
You are not responsible for what happened. Secrecy was part of the abuse. Breaking the silence, whenever you are ready, is a step toward healing.
If someone you care about is in it
- 01
If a child discloses abuse, stay calm. Believe them. Thank them for telling you. Do not ask leading questions or press for details.
- 02
Report it. In the U.S., every state has mandatory reporting laws for certain professionals, and anyone can report suspected abuse. Call 911 in emergencies, or your state's child protective services.
- 03
In Texas, suspected abuse of a child can be reported to the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400, 24 hours a day.
- 04
Do not confront the suspected abuser yourself. That can endanger the child and compromise an investigation.
- 05
Support the child's immediate safety and emotional needs. Let them know they are believed, they are not in trouble, and help is coming.
Where to get help
People who will take this seriously
If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number first. Everything below is confidential and none of it requires you to make a decision today.
1-800-422-4453 · childhelp.org · confidential, 24 hours
National hotline for child abuse and neglect, offering crisis intervention, information, and referrals.
1-800-843-5678 · cybertipline.org · missingkids.org
Reports of missing and exploited children, including online exploitation and child sexual abuse material.
1-800-656-4673 · rainn.org · chat and Spanish available
Confidential support for sexual violence survivors, including adult survivors of child sexual abuse.
1-888-773-8368 · stopitnow.org · helpline and resources
Confidential help for anyone concerned about child sexual abuse, including people worried about their own thoughts or behaviour.
Questions
The questions people actually ask
What should I do if a child tells me they are being abused?
Believe them, stay calm, and thank them. Do not ask detailed questions. Report to child protective services or police. In Texas, call 1-800-252-5400. Your role is to listen and get professional help involved.
Do children lie about sexual abuse?
False disclosures by children are rare. Most children do not disclose at all, or delay disclosure for years. The default response should be belief and professional support.
Can online abuse be reported?
Yes. The CyberTipline at cybertipline.org accepts reports of online child sexual exploitation, grooming, sextortion, and child sexual abuse material.
Is it too late to get help as an adult?
No. It is never too late. Many survivors seek help for the first time in adulthood. There are therapists, support groups, and hotlines specifically for adult survivors of child sexual abuse.
Protecting children is not about suspicion or interrogation. It is about creating a world where children know they will be believed, and where adults know how to respond when they are told.