Hesperian Health Guides
If your child has been sexually abused
HealthWiki > Helping Children Who Are Blind > Chapter 12: Preventing Sexual Abuse > If your child has been sexually abused
- believe what she says. Children rarely make up stories about sexual abuse.
- praise her for telling you. Children need to know that they have done the right thing by talking about the abuse.
- reassure her that the abuse is not her fault and that you are not angry with her.
- protect her safety. Try to prevent future contact between the child and her abuser. If this is not possible, make sure you or someone who knows what happened is always with your child when the abuser is present.
- treat physical health problems from the abuse. Try to get your child tested for sexually transmitted infections, even if she does not have any signs. Some sexually transmitted infections do not have any signs, or they do not come until a child is older.
As a parent, you also need help. Parents feel many emotions
including disbelief, anger, and sadness when they learn their child
has been abused. Parents may blame each other for what happened
to their child. It can help to talk about these feelings with someone
you trust. Be patient with yourself. It may take a long time for these
feelings to change.
This page was updated:20 May 2021