Help is available

If you, or someone you know is being hurt or abused, you should get help. There is help available from police, teachers and others

• If you are attacked
• If you are being bullied

If you are being abused by someone in your family, or by someone you know, it can be very difficult to ask for help. But you must get help, as soon as possible. Even if the problem is very difficult, there are people who can help you sort it out.

Crucial: You can talk to Childline online or call 0800 1111 at any time

Abuse

There are four main kinds of abuse:

1. Physical abuse - hurts your body by hitting, kicking, punching, burning, tying you up.
2. Neglect - ignores your needs for food, warmth, medical care, safety and emotional well-being
3. Sexual abuse - force or pressure to have sex, or sexual acts like kissing or touching that makes you feel uncomfortable
4. Emotional abuse - such as humiliation, making you feel worthless, constant criticism and withholding love and affection

Young people from all kinds of homes and all kinds of families can be abused. When abuse occurs (it is rare) young people are usually abused by people they know and trust, such as family members or trusted friends. Abuse usually gets worse over time, and can go on for years.

If abuse is occuring, it needs to be stopped as soon as possible.

Related topics: Domestic Violence,

Tell someone you trust

If you are being hurt or harmed at home lots of people have a legal reponsibility to help you. But you must ask for help. Abuse that seems obvious to you may not be visible to others.

Childline and NSPCC can help you work out who to tell and put you in touch with helpful organisations. You can ring them free from any phone, even a call box. Whatever you tell them will be kept confidential.

Related topics: Abuse, Families

What happens next?

When you ask for help, your case is put forward for investigation by Social and Health Care (part of Oxfordshire County Council). A social worker will then contact you and try to find out what help you want and also tell you what they can provide.

If you want to stay at home, Social and Health Care will try and make it safe for you to do so.

The abuser will have to get some help to stop the abuse but he or she will not necessarily be arrested.

Related topics: Domestic Violence, Abuse