What would you do?
Child abuse prevention is a community effort, but the signs aren’t always clear and obvious. Bruising, broken bones, always dirty clothes, and other physical issues are often signs of child abuse or neglect. But a lot of abuse is emotional, far more secretive, and difficult to assess in just a few moments of interaction. How would you react in these realistic scenarios…
Knowing what to do and how to identify the signs of abuse is often difficult. That’s why prevention training and the DCS Hotline helps protect children.
Everyone in Indiana is a mandated reporter of suspected abuse.
Avoid intervening or confronting in suspected situations of abuse or harm. Leave urgent, legitimate emergencies to 911.
Call the Indiana Child Abuse Hotline when in doubt in non-emergency situations at 1-800-800-5556. Operators are trained to screen situations based on multiple avenues of evidence.
Remember people are complex. Even seemingly “obvious” abuse is likely part of a broader pattern and may involve multiple other children and family members.
Respect the complexity of cases and trained response. In Indiana, the majority of abuse cases are from emotional and physical neglect, often at the hands of parents, which is complex and sensitive.
Download free presentations, activities, and more
Zoey’s Place provides child abuse prevention and body safety awareness training to all Hancock County Schools. Since 2023, Zoey’s Place staff have presented life-saving instruction to over 55,0000 K-12 students.
You can download some of the same materials we use in schools:
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Take free webinars and abuse prevention training online
The Monique Burr Foundation provides free online webinars and sessions online. These valuable trainings help parents, grandparents, and professionals working with children and teens recognize more signs of abuse, grooming, and emotional harms.
More for parents and caregivers
Young children and even teens sometimes don’t have the vocabulary or experience to understand risky situations. Prevention Education in classrooms helps provide age-appropriate words and recognition of potential harms. As a parent, you can help protect them and your kid’s friends:
Talk about body boundaries
Talk to your child about body boundaries and what to say or do if they feel uncomfortable or threatened.
Remind them you’re their go-to adult for everything
Remind your child to trust their instincts, and, when in doubt, talk to you.
Where do selfies really go?
Remind children that selfies, even on apps with disappearing messages like Snapchat or iMessage, can be screenshotted, saved, and are is rarely “truly private”.
Reasonable limits are reasonable
Set boundaries and limits on phones and other services, such as connected game consoles, Discord chats, and direct messages from other apps. Remind them you’re paying for the phone and service, it’s your phone, not theirs! You have a right to know their PIN to unlock the phone.
Reasonable limits are reasonable
Set boundaries and limits on phones and other services, such as connected game consoles, Discord chats, and direct messages from other apps. Remind them you’re paying for the phone and service, it’s your phone, not theirs! You have a right to know their PIN to unlock the phone.
Consider simple rules, like “No screen time after 9pm” or “No phone in your bedroom.” Tiered access based on age and maturity is always appropriate.
Trust your instincts
If you’re unsure about the technology your children are using, trust your instincts. Don’t be afraid to ask your child and trusted relatives for advice on what they are, how it’s used, what to check (like suspiciously empty browser histories), and why.
Why do most adults ignore or miss the signs of child abuse?
- they fear being wrong
- they know the family personally
- the suspected person is respected
- the child minimizes what happened
- there is no visible injury
- they assume someone else will act
- they worry about overreacting
- they fear social fallout
Many abuse situations are confusing, socially uncomfortable, or incomplete. People often delay action because they fear overreacting or damaging someone’s reputation.
But child protection systems are designed specifically for these and other uncertain situations. You do not need proof. You do not need to investigate. You only need reasonable suspicion.
What happens when a child says something happened?
Always believe any child that says they were harmed or uncomfortable. It is exceedingly rare that a child “makes up a story.” Believe and support them. Don’t interrogate children further, even your own child. Recalling abuse can further traumatize children and harm prosecution through “recanting”, or withdrawing their statements and trying to “make it go away”.
| Avoid saying… | Instead, say… |
|---|---|
| “We can keep this private.” | “This is not your fault, but we need to address this responsibly.” |
| “Are you sure?” | “I believe you. I’m glad you told me.” |
| “What exactly happened?” | “You did the right thing telling me. I’m going to help keep you and others safe.” |
| “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” | “Telling me was very brave. You did the right thing.” |
| “Let’s wait and see…” or “I’ll talk to them directly.” | “Let’s get some extra help…” |
You can support Prevention Education in Hancock County
Zoey’s Place provides training to Hancock County schools at no-cost to schools. But the staff time and materials aren’t free. You can support this important work with a one-time or recurring donation to Zoey’s Place. Your donation supports this and other work such as forensic interviews, child and family advocacy, and more.
Donate to Zoey’s Place