If you or someone you know has been hurt by someone, or is experiencing abuse, violence, or neglect there are people here to help you.

Get help by calling the helpline at 310-1234. You do not need an area code. You can call at any time of the day or night and you do not have to give your name.

If you are in immediate danger – call the police – 9-1-1 24 hours a day 7 days a week

Telling someone that you have been hurt or are experiencing abuse can feel scary.  There are people here to support you. You can call a Victim Service worker that can answer questions and help you with the reporting process.

If you live in the Greater Victoria Area, call a Victim Service worker at (250) 385-6111, Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm.

Physical abuse is often the most easily recognized form of abuse. Physical abuse can be any kind of hitting, shaking, burning, pinching, biting, choking, throwing, beating, and other actions that cause physical injury, leave marks, or cause pain. Physical abuse of a child is when a parent or caregiver causes any non-accidental physical injury to a child. There are many signs of physical abuse.

Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse occurs when an adult uses a child for sexual purposes or involves a child in sexual acts. It also includes when a child who is older or more powerful uses another child for sexual gratification or excitement. 

Sexual abuse of children includes:

• Non-contact abuse
• Making a child view a sex act
• Making a child view or show sex organs
• Inappropriate sexual talk
• Contact abuse
• Fondling and oral sex
• Penetration
• Making children perform a sex act
• Exploitation
• Child prostitution and child pornography
  

Emotional abuse: When a parent or caregiver harms a child’s mental and social development, or causes severe emotional harm, it is considered emotional abuse. While a single incident may be abuse, most often emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that causes damage over time.

Child neglect is when a parent or caregiver does not give the care, supervision, affection and support needed for a child’s health, safety and well-being. Child neglect includes:

• Physical neglect and inadequate supervision
• Emotional neglect
• Medical neglect
• Educational neglect
  

Family violence can affect anyone. It can happen in any kind of family. Sometimes parents abuse each other, which can be hard for a child to witness. Some parents abuse their kids by using physical or verbal cruelty as a way of discipline.

 In a young child:

• Excessive sadness, frequent crying, anxiety.
• Inserting objects into the vagina or rectum.
• Excessive dependency, fear of home or a specific place; excessive fear of men or women, lacks trust in others.
• Age-inappropriate sexual play or sexually explicit drawings.
• Sudden non-participation in activities, poor peer relationships, self-image; overall poor self-care.

In an older child:

• ​Sudden lack of interest in friends or activities, unable to "have fun" with others.
• Startled response to touching.
• Overwhelming interest in sexual activities.
• Hostility towards authority, truancy and/or running away from home.
• Wearing of provocative clothing or layers of clothing to hide bruises.
• Recurrent physical complaints that are without physiological basis.
• Suicide attempts, drug/alcohol misuse, poor personal hygiene, promiscuity, sexual acting out in a variety of ways.

• Sleep disturbances and nightmares.
• Sudden weight change.​
• Cuts or sores made by the child on their arms.
• Recurring physical ailments.
• Difficulty in walking or sitting, excessive itching in the genital or anal area due to infections.
• Torn and stained or bloody underwear.
• Sexually transmitted diseases.
• Pregnancy.
• Injuries to the mouth, genital or anal areas.

If you think or suspect a child or youth (anyone 18 and under) is being, is at risk of being, or has been abused or neglected, you have the legal duty to report your concerns to a child protection worker at:

Helpline for Children: 310-1234

Ministry for Children: 1-800-663-9122

If the child or youth is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 or your local police department.