Resources for Teens

The first thing you might be asking yourself is, "Was it abuse?". If you're curious enough to look it up, then perhaps it was. Here is a list to help you figure it out:

• Did it make you uncomfortable?
• Was it unwanted?
• Were you shown videos or pictures that made you feel uncomfortable?
• Were you forced to watch it happening to others?
• Were you hit, shaken or thrown a lot more than you think your friends were?
• Were you told to keep a secret between just you two?
• Did you feel you had to do it or your life or safety was in danger?
• Did you feel you had to do it or the life or safety of someone you love was in danger?
• Did adults or friends call you names a lot, or talk down to you a lot and make you feel stupid?

Did any of that seem familiar? If so, then you may have been abused.

Now, another really important question... is any of this happening now? If it is, you should reach out to somebody who can help you. Don't wait and see if it gets better, because who knows if it will? You are not to blame. You have nothing to feel guilty about. You can't magically make it stop on your own; since you didn't cause it, you can't be entirely responsible for making it stop. Millions of kids around the world are in your exact spot. You are not alone. You may feel like, or be treated like, a loser, a reject or an outcast. You are none of these. Sometimes other kids treat you like this because they just don't understand. But you are worth a lot and you are worth helping.

Okay, so what should you do now, then? Think of an adult you could tell. Maybe at school, a friend's house, a neighbour, a coach, something like that. It's going to take a lot of courage, but you can do it. If the first does not believe you, keep telling until one of them does. If you've run out of people to tell, or if there is no one to tell, please call one of the numbers below, or go to their website.

• USA: Childhelp - 1-800-4-A-CHILD
• Canada: Kids Help Phone - 1-800-668-6868
• UK: Childline - 0800-1111
• Australia: Kids Helpline - 1-800-55-1800
• New Zealand: Child Helpline - 0800-942-87-87

Our chat rooms and community forums are for teens 13 years or older. If you're under 13 years old, please phone one of the numbers above or visit their website. These phone numbers and websites are not the police. They're workers and volunteers setup to help kids just like you.