Below are websites where you can find information about different aspects of abuse and healing. For more on writing, young adult literature, and community action and for friends' and survivors' sites go to link partners.
You can jump ahead to:
get help
report abuse
be informed
find survivor organizations
help offenders stop
learn about sexuality
get help with drugs & alcohol
learn resilience
raise awareness/end abuse
Material in quotes comes directly from the site itself. Although I have checked out all these sites, you are responsible for your own safety on the Internet. Be an aware consumer. – Carolyn
Child Help USA
Hotline, 800-4-A- CHILD. You can call the hotline night or day to talk with a professional counselor for free. The site answers questions about the hotline, tells how it works both in English and en Español and describes other Childhelp programs.
Kids Help Phone
Hotline, 800-668-6868. Canada's toll-free, 24-hour, bilingual (English/French) phone counseling service for children and youth. Professional counselors provide immediate support to young people in urban and rural communities across the country. You can also go to their website and post messages or receive on-line counseling. All their services are confidential and free. There's a Parent Help Line, too, at 888-603-9100. For calls from outside Canada, the number is 416-586-0100.
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)
RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE. Site includes statistics, counseling resources, prevention tips, and a page of advice for rape survivors and their friends.
Darkness to Light
Look under >Get Help >Report Abuse for information and advice. Features a wide range of links and information on everything from news reports to prevention programs. Lots of good information and some survivor stories, too.
Child Help USA
Report Abuse >What to Expect explains how their phone counselor can help you report abuse.
National Clearinghouse on Sexual Abuse and Neglect
Definitions of abuse, guidelines for reporting, and other information en Español and in English.
Teen PCAR
The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape's site for teens tells you what to do if you've been raped, offers a free music CD, and has ideas for how you can help stop sexual violence and harassment in your school.
National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Health Canada
Here you can download When Teenaged Boys Have Been Abused, Sexual Abuse: What Happens When You Tell, Sibling Abuse, and many other excellent pamphlets and articles.
Jim Hopper's Home Page
Dr. Jim Hopper is a research fellow at Harvard Medical School. His pages include statistics on childhood sexual abuse, information for male survivors, and a very thorough review of scientific research on recovered memory for child abuse. Good links.
David Baldwin's Trauma Information Pages
Hundreds of articles and links on this site cover aspects of trauma from sexual abuse to war and terrorism. Information about post traumatic stress (PTSD), dissociation, and what happens to people's brains when they experience trauma.
The Recovered Memory Project
Dr. Ross E. Cheit, a professor at Brown University, established this scholarly site to documents cases of recovered memory and discuss the controversy over the repression of memory of abuse.
The Ritual Abuse, Ritual Crime, and Healing
"Ritual abuse is an extreme sadistic form of abuse of children and non-consenting adults. It is methodical, systematic sexual, physical, emotional and spiritual abuse" which may include child pornography and prostitution. If you need to understand this form of abuse, this is a solid site, but please be careful in reading the information, it can be very upsetting.
Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Well researched fact sheets on a variety of topics related to sexual abuse including Teen Assault and Abuse, Campus Sexual Assault, Male Survivors, and LGBT Populations and Sexual Assault.
SNAP, Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
SNAP provides support for survivors of abuse by clergy, educates the public, and works for reforms within the church and society. "Our most powerful tool is the light of truth. Through our stories and our actions, we bring healing and justice."
MaleSurvivor
Dedicated to overcoming the sexual victimization of men and boys, this organization gives conferences and retreats and puts out a newsletter which you can access at their website.
Sasian
Sasian focuses on physical, sexual and emotional abuse by brothers and sisters. Includes material on sibling sexual abuse in four languages. Extensive links.
Survivors of Incest Anonymous World Service Office, Inc.
Although this 12-Step organization is for incest survivors 18 and over there is some good information here.
Voices in Action
This site for incest survivors is not very active right now, but you can download brochures on Male Survivors, How to Choose a Therapist and 13 Tips from Survivors.
Stop It Now!
This organization addresses child sexual abuse at the source—offenders, including youthful offenders. "We do not see child sex abusers as monsters, but as adults who are responsible for their criminal behavior and who can choose to stop the abuse." The Helpline is staffed during business hours. All calls are confidential. 1-888-PREVENT (1-888-773-8368).
Myths and Facts about Sex Offenders
The Center for Sex Offender Management is a national project that supports state and local jurisdictions in the management of sex offenders under community supervision. Their site contains this and other informative documents and other information about sex offenders, kids who offend, and community response.
Adolescent Sex Offenders—Overview Paper, by Frederick Mathews , download at: National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Health Canada
Who are adolescent sex offenders? Why do they offend? How can they stop? This paper gives the basics and refers you to an excellent list of further reading.
Sexual abuse can lead to confusion about sexuality and sexual orientation. These sites don't address abuse directly, but they contain information and support for young people who are figuring out their sexual selves.
Advocates for Youth
This organization is dedicated to helping young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Some informational material is written by teens. In English, Spanish and French.
Sex, etc.
Written for teens by teens and sponsored by the Network for Family Life Education at Rutgers University. Solid information about all aspects of sexuality, including abuse, homosexuality and sexual response. Teen authors share their own stories.
Teenwire
Planned Parenthood Federation of America sponsors this teen written site which is updated daily. You can find articles on all aspects of sexuality and relationships.
My Sistahs
Created by and for young women of color, this site provides information and peer support around sexual and reproductive health.
Youth Resource
Information and peer support for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgendered and questioning youth.
As Jonathan and Arturo's stories show, drug and alcohol use can sometimes be a cover up for feelings of shame about abuse. For some, getting off drugs and alcohol is the first step towards healing.
Alanon/Alateen
For family and friends of alcoholics. Peer support meetings for teens who are dealing with the alcoholism of family members or friends. Information in English, Spanish, and French. Pages for teens.
GO ASK ALICE
At this Columbia University website you can find answers to all kinds of health questions including how to deal with drugs and alcohol and other addictions.
Nar-Anon
Support groups for families and friends dealing with drug problems. Some states have groups especially for teens.
Narcotics Anonymous
A 12 step self-help recovery program for people of all ages who are dealing with drug addiction.
Resilience is the ability to get your life back on track after loss, stress and trauma. People used to believe that some of us were born resilient, but resilience can be learned. Here are some places to start.
Project Resilience
"We promote a strengths-based approach to both youth and adults struggling to overcome hardship, for instance family disruption, poverty, violence, substance abuse, and racism." Although this commercial site is designed for educators, the "Core Concepts" can help anyone looking for ways to build on their strengths and make life better for themselves.
Resiliency for Teens
This page for teens has ten ideas for increasing your ability to make it through hard times and take charge of your life. The American Psychological Association website has other article on coping with stress.
Does the fact that kids are being abused make you mad? Do you want to do something to help change things? Strong at the Heart profiles three students who are part of a campus-wide activist group. Here are some other ways to get involved.
Darkness to Light
This research based program trains adults to take responsibility for making their communities safe for kids. I've taken the training and it is excellent. There are lots of good resources at this site.
Generation Five
A youth-friendly organization that encourages and trains activists and grass roots organizers to help raise awareness of child sexual abuse in their communities.
Take Back the News
This young activist website encourages public action to raise awareness of rape and sexual abuse. You can post your own story here.
The Clothesline Project
This national organization can help you start your own community Clothesline Project. They have resources on teen dating, supporting survivors and the Dating Bill of Rights.
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