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- Find a private place to talk.
- Be as calm as possible. If you appear upset or panicked a child may feel he or she is to blame and may be afraid to tell you his or her story.
- Believe the child. We know that children rarely lie about sexual abuse.
- Praise the child for telling you about the experience.
- Support the child's feelings. He or she may be confused; acknowledge the child's feelings. All feelings are valid. Use appropriate touch and words to assure the child that he or she is still loved.
- Reassure the child that it is not his or her fault. Only the perpetrator is to blame. Let the child know that you will do your best to protect him or her, to get help, and give support. If you know the procedure for reporting abuse tell the child in terms he or she can understand.
- Encourage the child to tell you or some other trusted adult if this happens again with the same or another offender.
- Report the abuse to the proper authorities. Contact Child Protection/Office of Community Services in your parish or Law Enforcement in the area in which it is believed to have occurred.
- Do not promise that you will not tell anyone. Parents should get professional help for their child. Teachers and others are mandated by law to report abuse.
- Do not ask the child why he or she did not tell sooner. Children tell when they feel they are able to tell.
- Do not criticize the abuser to the child. Children often still love the offender despite the abuse.
- Do not ask for details of the abuse. Children will share this information when they are ready. Asking for details may be harmful to the professional investigation.
It is the policy of the Gingerbread House Children's Advocacy Center to provide employment, recruitment and training of volunteers, and services to clients without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic as established by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Any grievance may be reported to Gingerbread House CAC at info@gingerbreadhousecac.org or 318-674-2900, to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement at lcle.la.gov, or to the Office of Civil Rights at https://www.ojp.gov/program/civil-rights. Contact the Louisiana Legislative Auditor Hotline if you suspect theft, fraud, waste, or abuse of public funds by anyone at 1-844-50-FRAUD (1-844-503-7283) or https://www.lla.la.gov/report-fraud to complete an online report.
