Be Part of JustTell
We encourage you to personally reach out to every child and help report abuse when you suspect it or when you are told by a child it is occurring.
Help a Child
ChildHelp Hotline:
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse. Serving the United States, its territories, and Canada, the Hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who, through interpreters, can provide assistance in 170 languages. The Hotline offers crisis intervention, information, literature, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. All calls are anonymous and confidential.
Help a Friend
If a friend tells you that they are being sexually abused—that a grown-up has touched them, or made the kid touch the adult or watch porn or any of the other things listed as sexual abuse, we want to help YOU -- help THEM. CALL 1-800-4-A-CHILD then push 1 to talk to a hotline counselor. The hotline counselors work with translators who speak 140 languages to help people who call and speak something other than English. All calls are anonymous.
Mandated Reporters
All professionals who work with children are responsible for complying with their State Laws about reporting suspected Child Abuse and are punishable by law if they neglect to do so. Under the Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 1974, all 50 states have passed laws mandating the reporting of child sexual abuse. The exact details of these laws vary from state to state. Most professionals who work with children are required to report suspected abuse including:
- doctors
- dentists
- nurses
- teachers
- social workers
- school guidance counselors
- law enforcement officers
In addition:
- 26 states include members of the clergy
- 18 states require ANYONE who suspects child abuse or neglect to report it.
- 11 states include commercial film or photograph processors
Child Welfare
Information Gateway: The Child Welfare Information Gateway (CWIG) is one of the national organizations selected by the Children's Bureau to serve as partners in the national child abuse prevention initiative. The CWIG connects child welfare and related professionals to comprehensive information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families.
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, or if you are a child who is being maltreated, contact your local child protective services office or law enforcement agency so professionals can assess the situation. Many States have a toll-free number to call to report suspected child abuse or neglect. To find out where to call, consult the Information Gateway publication, State Child Abuse Reporting Numbers (as of September 01, 2011).
About Our Street Teams
Aside from its online presence, JustTell gets the word out to kids through its Street Teams. Kids build their own Street Teams of 4 to 10 volunteers and go to Concerts, or the Mall, or other places where kids hang out. They wear our JustTell Street Teams T shirts and pass out free materials like stickers, t-shirts and wallet cards. To-date, over 135 Street Teams have been launched.
To comment on something you've read here, share your own story, or post ideas for distributing the JustTell message, please join us in the General Discussion section.
