Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

Crisis Support & Referrals | Self-Help | Advocacy

Crisis Support and Referrals

ChildHelp USA-National Child Abuse Hotline
Childhelp USA National Headquarters
15757 N. 78th Street
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
1-800-4-A-Child / 1-800-422-4453
(TDD):1-800-2-A-Child / 1-800-222-4153
www.childhelpusa.org

The Childhelp National Abuse Hotline serves the United States, Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam, the hotline is staffed 24 hours, 7 days a week (in 140 different languages) with professional counselors who utilize a database of 55,000 resources.  It is a valuable resource for troubled parents, children in the midst of abuse, individuals requesting child abuse information and professionals—including school nurses, teachers, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatric dentist, and fire investigators (people that need to make referrals to agencies).

Children of the Night (CN)
14530 Sylvan Street
Van Nuys, CA 91411     
1-800-551-1300   Office: (818) 908-4474
www.childrenofthenight.org

Children of the Night is a privately funded non-profit organization, established in 1979, that has rescued 10,000 boys and girls from prostitution.  This organization is dedicated to assisting children between the ages of 11 through 17 who are sexually abused and forced to prostitute on the streets.  When children call the national CN hotline, a trained counselor is ready to assist.  Children seeking shelter are kept on the phone until a taxi arrives and brings her or him into a shelter home. 

National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC)
The National Crime Victim Bar Association Referral Line
2000 M Street NW, Suite 480
Washington, DC 20036
Main office: (202) 467-8700   Fax: (202) 467-8701  
1-800-FYI-CALL / 1-800-394-2255  (M-F: 8:30am-8:30pm)
(TTY/TDD) 1-800-211-7996
www.ncvc.org

NCVC's Department of Public Policy maintains a database which includes a state-by-state breakdown of crime related statues.  For example this database can be used to access such information as the statue of limitations on child sexual abuse or the legal age of consent among many others. 

National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA)
510 King Street, Ste 424
Alexandria, VA  22314
1-800-TRY-NOVA / 1-800-879-6682
Email:  nova@try-nova.org
http://www.trynova.org/

NOVA is a private, non-profit organization of victim and witness assistance programs and practitioners, criminal justice agencies and professionals, mental health professionals, researchers, former victims, and survivors, and other committed to victim rights and services.   NOVA provides direct service to victims or communities that need assistance.  One may call at anytime for information, referrals in their local area or emotional support. It is the oldest national group of its kind in the worldwide victim’s movement.

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)
2000 L Street NW
Suite 406
Washington D.C. 20036
1-800-656-HOPE / 1-800-656-4673 (dial “1” at voice menu to reach immediate help)
Email: info@rainn.org
www.rainn.org

RAINN a non-profit organization operates America’s only national hotline for victims of sexual assault.  The helpline offers free, confidential counseling and support 24 hours a day, from anywhere in the country.  The hotline is a partnership of nearly 900 rape crisis centers across the country; callers are automatically connected to their local sexual assault crisis center for immediate help. Spanish available.

The Safer Society Foundation, Inc. (SSFI)
PO Box 340
Brandon, VT 05733
(802) 247-3132
www.safersociety.org

A national research, advocacy and referral center dedicated to the prevention and treatment of sexual abuse. SSFI was founded in 1964.  They offer a variety of services including the Safer Society Press, sex offender treatment referrals, responding to research requests, and training and consultation. Excellent publications for treatment providers, child & adult offenders, survivors and mandated reporters.  A free catalog is available.

Sexual Abuser Treatment Referral Line
SSFI runs a national referral service for anyone interested in locating a treatment provider for an individual with sexual behavior problems. Available by phone (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, EST), fax or email.

Child Molestation Research and Prevention Institute.
http://www.cmrpi.org/pages/diagnosis.html#states

National directory available on line of sex-specific therapists offering evaluation and treatment of adults and youth.

Self-Help

Survivors of Incest Anonymous (SIA)
PO Box 190
Benson, Maryland 21018-9998
(410) 893-3322
www.siawso.org

SIA World Service Office serves the many independent SIA support groups around the world, as well as individuals who contact them.  They also provide the through the publications and sales of incest survivor-related literature, the maintenance of a directory of meetings, a quarterly bulletin, and speakers.  An individual can send a self-addressed envelope and $3.00 (if possible) or call the SIA information line in order to request a directory of meetings, ask questions or obtain literature.

The Voices and Faces Project
www.voicesandfaces.org

The Voices and Faces Project is a national non-profit initiative created to give voice and face to survivors of sexual violence, offering a sense of solidarity and possibility to those who have lived through abuse while raising awareness of how this human right issue impacts victims, families and communities.

The Wounded Healer Journal (TWHJ)
Email:  twhj@twhj.net
http://twhj.com/

TWHJ is an Internet pioneer in the area of online support for trauma and abuse survivors.  This virtual community journal offers an array of web services for those who have experienced the devastation of traumatic experiences, including child abuse.  They provide linking to national therapists, crisis numbers, support chat rooms, and a web store.  In addition they also offer similar services for partners and allies of sexual assault survivors.

Advocacy

The Awareness Center
P.O. Box 65273
Baltimore, MD 21209
Voice Mail: 443-857-5560
Email: info@theawarenesscenter.org
www.theawarenesscenter.org

The Awareness Center is the Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault (JCASA). JCASA the only international Jewish organization dedicated to addressing sexual violence in Jewish communities around the world. JCASA acts as a clearinghouse of information and resources on the topics of childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, clergy abuse (in the Jewish community), and sex offenders. JCASA offers a speakers bureau to discuss these topics, an international conference on sexual violence in Jewish communities, and a certification program for rabbis and other professionals interested in working with survivors of sexual violence. Lastly, JCASA seeks to develop a treatment center and on-going educational programming in Israel, the United States, and throughout the world.

MaleSurvivor
PMB 103, 5505 Connecticut Ave. N.W.,
Washington, DC 20015-2601
Toll free: 1-800-738-4181
www.malesurvivor.org

MaleSurvivor conducts research, education, advocacy, and activism to promote prevention, treatment and elimination of sexual abuse of male children and adults. MaleSurvivor coordinates regional retreats and an annual conference for male survivors and provides online chat rooms that allow survivors and professionals to talk to each other.

The National Children's Advocacy Center (NCAC)
210 Pratt Avenue
Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 533-0531   Fax (256)534-6883
Email:  webmaster@ncac-hsv.org
www.nationalcac.org

NCAC is a non-profit agency providing prevention, intervention, and treatment services to physically and sexually abused children and their families within a child-focused team approach.  Since opening in 1985 as the nation’s first Children’s Advocacy Center, the NCAC has become a leader in the field of prevention and intervention of child maltreatment.

Survivors Network of those Abused By Priests (SNAP)
P.O. Box 6416
Chicago, IL 60680-6416
Toll-Free: 1-877-SNAPHEALS (877-762-7432)
Email: SNAPBlaine@hotmail.com
www.snapnetwork.org

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) is a self-help organization of adult survivors of clergy sexual abuse and their supporters. They work to end the cycle of abuse in two ways: By supporting one another in personal healing; and by pursuing justice and institutional change by holding individual perpetrators responsible and the church accountable. SNAP has local chapters and support groups in over 50 cities across the country. Via their website, SNAP provides resources such as peer counseling, contact information for local support groups, online discussion boards, a library of educational materials and news stories and ways to support their mission, both in the local community and on a national level. The SNAP website includes contact information for local SNAP chapters.

VOICES In Action (VIA)
8041 Hosbrook Road, Suite 236
Cincinnati, Ohio 45236
1-800-7-VOICE-8 / 1-800-786-4238
www.voices-action.org

VIA is an international nonprofit organization providing support for victims of incest and child sexual abuse. VIA helps victims of incest and child sexual abuse to become survivors; it generates public awareness of the prevalence of incest, its impact; and ways in which it can be prevented or stopped through educational programs.  It also serves as a clearinghouse and dissemination center—connecting victims and survivors to local resources when needed.