What to Do if You Suspect Abuse
If you suspect child abuse, it’s important to report it. It isn’t a private matter or a family problem. A child’s physical and emotional well-being, and maybe even her life, could be at stake.
You don’t need proof to report abuse. If you suspect it, call your local child protective services, police, a hospital, or a hotline,
If you are abroad
Many children are victim of sexual exploitation in travel and tourism. On holiday, business trip or during any other occasion, you can witness one of these situations. How to react?
- Contact an Internal Security Agent (ASI) or a Liaison Officer (ODL) among your Embassy or Consulate in the country where you are travelling or living. People who work there are representatives of your country of origin: they can help you in the process.
- Report what you have witnessed on the international reporting platform euor download freely the application on your mobile phone. By clicking on your country’s flag, you can report a case of child abuse/exploitation to the competent authorities of your country. If the elements you share are sufficient, the authority will then determine whether an enquiry can be initiated or not.
This platform has been implemented in collaboration with national police services in Europe, Europol and Interpol.
It allows the implementation of extraterritorial laws and the conviction of offenders, even when the abuse has occurred abroad.
For instance, if a French national sexually exploit/abuse a child during a travel in Morocco or in Nepal, he can still be arrested and judged in France once he is back.
If you meet a situation in the exercise of your functions, don’t hesitate to speak about it with your manager. Your company may be member of the “Code” (an initiative to protect children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism) and internal procedures for reporting may exist to face this type of situation.
France
In case of immediate danger, call the
National Police at 112 (from your mobile phone) or
17 (from a fixed line phone).
You can also contact by email the OCRVP (Office Centrale pour la Répression des Violences aux Personnes): ocrvp@interieur.gouv.fr
As a professional, don’t hesitate to report a situation among a “Cellule de Recueil des Informations Préoccupantes (CRIP)” or among the Public Prosecutor’s department. Besides, don’t forget that you can also refer to the judge for children.
U.K
Contact the police on 999 or call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000
Belgium
You can contact the hotline by dialling the number 1712. The hotline is available every business day between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
U.S
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 800-422-4453. You don’t have to give your name.
Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, I would be glad to hear from you. Should you want to help or have ideas on how we can get the word out, then please do comment, or email gemmadupont@mail.com or message me on the messenger of my Perpetual Helix Facebook page. please, share this page. I urge you to take your first role in stopping the abuse. Thank you.