Friends, Family, Community
Be Ready to Support Survivors
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Believe anyone of any age or gender who reports childhood sexual abuse.
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Listen without judgment. It's the most valuable support you can provide to anyone who trusts you with their story of sibling sexual harm.​
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Refer those who come to you for help to qualified support:
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988 for immediate mental health support (US)
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WhatsOK.org for confidential teen support
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1in6.org for adult male survivors
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RAINN.org for sexual assault survivor services
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www.siblingsexualtrauma.com for anyone in a family affected by sibling sexual abuse or trauma
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Support efforts to provide trauma-informed services within schools, policing and judicial systems, mental and medical health treatment and substance abuse responses.
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If you are a friend or family member of someone affected by sibling sexual trauma, you may join our Discord community as a "Supporter".
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The nonprofit EmpowerSurvivors hosts and moderates a private Facebook group for Friends and Family of Those Sexually Abused as Children. Note that this group serves those affected by any type of child sexual abuse.
Words Matter
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If anyone shares their own unwanted, confusing, or abusive sexual experience with you, respect the language they choose to describe it.
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Steer general conversations, in-person and online, toward accurate and respectful terminology toward children who have caused or experienced sexual harm.
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Children “report” sexual abuse; they do not “accuse” or “allege” unwanted sexual activity.
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Children and teens cannot be diagnosed with pedophilia or labeled as “pedophiles”.
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Children and teens who sexually harm others need to be steered toward treatment and need to take responsibility and face appropriate consequences; however, they should not be labeled as “monsters,” “perpetrators,” or “sex offenders”.
Keep Children Safe Online
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If children ever come to your house or use any of your devices, set up a child-safe account and protect them from accessing adult or admin accounts.
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Even if you never view explicit materials–but especially if you do–children can access this content very quickly and easily, intentionally or accidentally, with tragic consequences for themselves and other children.
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Grandparents could offer to fund family safety internet controls.