Talk with the child: Be sure to believe, validate and empower the child. Create a non-judgmental space for the child where you are approaching the conversation in an open and positive manner. Be sure to ask open-ended questions and use language the child is using. Reassure the child that they are not going to get in trouble for disclosing and that they did nothing wrong.
Believe: Believe what the child is telling you, and let the child know you believe them.
Validate: Be sure to validate the child. Let the child know they did the right thing for telling you, that it was not their fault, overall validate the feelings they are sharing.
Empower: Ask the child what they need from you. Power and control is taken away in abuse, it is important to give them back control on future situations.
Report the abuse: If you have any suspicion that a child is being sexually abused, report this toThe Illinois Child Abuse Hotline at 800-25-ABUSE (22873).You also have the option to contact the local police department.