How Can I Help My Child?

• Take care of yourself and your own feelings about your child’s abuse. Refrain from emotional outbursts about the abuse in front of your child – emotional behavior on your part will increase your child’s anxiety.
• Believe your child.
• Listen to your child. Give your child the chance to discuss feelings about the abuse and the abuser on their own timetable. Avoid asking lots of questions or interrogating your child about the details of what happened.
• Recognize that your child may have a wide range of emotions – anger, sadness, anxiety or positive feelings about the abuser.
• Reassure your child the abuse was not thier fault. Tell your child you will protect them from further abuse
• Refrain from talking with other adults in front of your child about the abuse, your child’s case or the abuser.
• Make sure your child participates in recommended counseling.
• Go to counseling yourself.
• Believe your child can heal and be happy again.
• Be patient with your child and yourself – healing takes time.