I Am a Kid and Something Happened

If someone touches you in a way that’s not okay, or shows you something that makes you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to keep it a secret. Even if a grown-up or older kid does these things—it’s not right. And it is not your fault.

Tell someone you trust if anyone has done the following things to you.

• Touches you in a way that isn’t right, or in a place that is private, like the parts of your body covered by underwear or a bathing suit.
• Asks you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or weird, like showing someone your private body parts, or touching the private parts of another person.
• Shows you something you’re not supposed to see, or something that makes you uncomfortable, like a picture of someone or a text message that wasn’t meant for you.
• Takes a picture or video of you, or asks you take them yourself.
• Only wants to spend time with you alone and doesn’t let other people join.
• Tells you to keep a secret, or not to tell anyone what happened. When someone knows they did something wrong, they may say things to scare you into keeping the secret. They may say they will take away your pet or favorite toy, or hurt someone you care about. You don’t have to keep these kinds of secrets—it’s okay to tell.
• Gives you gifts and may ask you to keep it a secret, or asks you not to tell anyone about the time you spend together.

It’s okay to be scared.
It's normal to have fears or worries about speaking up or getting in trouble. That’s okay. You are really brave to tell someone. Keep telling until someone helps you—there are people out there who are able to help.

Who should I tell?
Someone you trust, like a parent, family member, teacher, coach, a friend’s parent, or neighbor.

How can I do it?
You can talk to them face-to-face, or you could send a text or an email. You could talk on the phone. You could make a drawing of what happened, or even write a letter. The important thing is to tell someone. Keep telling until you get help—even if the first person you tell doesn’t do something right away.

I still have questions.
You can chat with someone from RAINN who is trained to help at online.rainn.org.