Is someone abusing you? How do you ask for help? (Child Abuse) Let's talk about this!

Life can be really hard sometimes, right? Especially when someone is intentionally hurting you, scaring you, or treating you badly. This is what we call abuse . Although this is a difficult topic to talk about, it is important to know that you are not alone and that you can get help.

What exactly is abuse?

Simply put, abuse is when someone intentionally harms you physically, mentally, sexually, or neglects you. This can happen in a variety of ways. Let's look at the main ways.

1. Physical Abuse

This means someone is hurting you physically. Imagine...

• They beat you and give you bad advice.
• Pushing hard, throwing it to the ground.
• Hitting with something (a belt, a stick).
• I have something burning inside me.
• Your limbs are being tied.

These are the things that are called physical abuse. Sometimes it can cause or remove injuries and scars on the body. But if it hurts, it is abuse.

2. Emotional or Psychological Abuse

This is something that causes great pain to the mind, even though it does not cause visible injuries to the body.

• You are constantly being scolded and yelled at.
• They insult you in a way that hurts your feelings and talk down to you in front of others.
• They always say things like, "You're useless," "You're incapable of anything."
• You are being scared and threatened.
• They don't let you do the things you like, they don't let you talk to your friends.
• They are ignoring you and ignoring you.

Things like this can make you feel sad, scared, and lose confidence in yourself.

3. Sexual Abuse

This is the hardest part to talk about, but it's so important. Sexual abuse is when someone touches you without your consent, forces you to show them sexual things, or forces you to do sexual things.

• They touch and look at your private parts .
• They kiss and hug you inappropriately.
• They ask you to watch sexual images and videos.
• They force us to talk about sex.
• You are using your body in ways you don't understand and don't like.

This is never your fault. If someone does something like this to you, it is entirely that person's fault.

4. Neglect

This means that someone who is supposed to take care of you is not giving you the things you need.

• They won't let you eat or drink properly.
• They don't give you clean clothes to wear.
• When you're sick, you don't go to a doctor.
• They don't send them to school, they don't help with their education.
• They don't give you protection, they leave you alone in dangerous places.

Things like this can harm your body and mind.

Remember, the abuser could be someone you know. It could be a family member, a relative, a friend, a teacher, or even a complete stranger. Whoever does it, it is wrong.

This is never your fault!

This is what you need to remember. Being abused is never, ever your fault. Sometimes the person who is abusing you may say, "This is your fault." Or, "If you hadn't done this, I wouldn't have done this." These are lies.

• No matter what you wear,
• Whatever you say,
• Wherever you go,
• No matter what you do,

No one has the right to hurt you. You have every right to be safe and happy. It's normal to feel sad, scared, and confused when something bad happens to you. But it's not your fault.

Who can you tell about this? (A trusted adult)

If you're going through something like this, the most important thing is to talk about it. Tell an adult you trust. That person will help you. Think about it, who do you trust?

• Mom, Dad, or another family member: Someone like your parents, older brother, sister, grandma, or grandpa.
• A relative: An aunt or uncle who is close to you.
• A friend's parent: A mother or father of a friend you trust.
• A teacher or school counselor: A teacher at your school, the principal, sir/madam, or the school counselor.
• Doctor or Nurse: When you go to see a doctor, you can tell that person.
• A religious leader: Someone like a priest in a temple, a father/sister in a church.

How do you talk to them? You may feel a little scared to say this. But gather your courage and start like this:

• "I have something to tell you."
• "I need to talk to you for a bit."
• "I need help."

While they are listening, tell them what happened to you. Tell them that you need their help. If it is difficult for you to tell them everything at once, tell them little by little. The main thing is to start.

What if there is no trusted adult nearby? Or are you afraid to tell them?

Sometimes you may not have an adult you can trust nearby. Or if you are being abused by someone in your family, you may be afraid to tell others. But you are not alone. There are other ways to get help.

Emergency Calls and Helplines

In Sri Lanka, there are special organizations and phone numbers that can help you in times like this. You can call these privately and ask for help.

• National Child Protection Authority (NCPA): Telephone number 1929.This is the main government agency dealing with child abuse. You can call this number any time of the day. They will listen to you and provide the help you need.
• Police emergency number: 119. If you are in an accident or need urgent help, call this number.
• Women In Need (WIN): Phone number 0112671411. This organization helps women and children in situations of violence.
• Friends : Phone numbers 0112692909, 0112696666. If you are feeling down, sad, and have no one to talk to, you can call these people. They will listen to you and give you the guidance you need.

The people on these helplines are trained. They listen carefully to what you have to say, they don't judge you, and they help you.

What do you do if you are in immediate danger?

If you feel that you are in serious danger where you are, you need to act immediately. 1. If possible, move to a safe place. That is, get away from the person who is abusing you. 2. Call an emergency number. In Sri Lanka, this is 119 (police). 3. When you call , give your name (your first name is enough) and your exact location. This will allow them to come to you quickly and help you.

• For example: "Hello, I'm [your name]. I'm at [your address or sign]. I'm in an accident. Please help!"

Important: If you can, do these things in a way that the person who is harassing you doesn't see. Your safety comes first.

Be careful online too (Online Safety)

Nowadays, we spend a lot of time on the Internet and social media, don't we? Just like in everyday life, we can be bullied online too. We also call this ``Cyberbullying.''

• If someone sends you bad messages,
• If your pictures are posted without your consent,
• If you're doing things online that scare you,
• If you are asked for inappropriate pictures,

That's bullying. If something like that happens, definitely tell a trusted adult. Also, don't delete those messages and pictures, but keep them as evidence.

Remember, help is always available!

We know it's not easy to talk about something like this. You may feel scared, ashamed, or sad. But you don't have to go through these things alone.

• There are people who want to listen to you, believe in you, and help you.
• You have every right to live in safety and freedom from violence.
• Speaking up is the first step. That's a big step.

Sometimes when you tell an adult, they don't understand you or don't help you, don't give up.Tell someone else. Keep trying until you get help.

Finally, remember this (Take-Home Message)

Okay, so let's review some of the things you need to remember from what we talked about today:

• Abuse is wrong. It is wrong no matter who does it or how it is done.
• It's never your fault. You don't have to be responsible for anything.
• You are not alone. There are people who can help you, and who want to help you.
• Talk to a trusted adult. It could be your parents, a relative, a teacher, or a doctor.
• If there is no such person, or if you are afraid to speak up, call a helpline like 1929 (National Child Protection Authority).
• If you are in immediate danger, call 119.
• Speaking up is the first and most important step you can take to break free. We pray that you find the strength to do so.

If you are in a difficult situation right now, reading this article is a big step you have taken. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You are valuable, you deserve to be protected.

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` Child abuse, violence, asking for help, safety, Sri Lanka emergency hotlines, NCPA 1929, mental health