Discovering your child has carried out harmful sexual behaviour can be extremely difficult to comprehend. Parents may feel:
- Shock and denial: disbelief and minimizing the harm.
- Confusion: uncertainty about why it happened and what to do next.
- Guilt: self-blame and questioning parenting.
- Shame and stigma: concerns about community reactions.
- Anger and blame: directed towards the child, oneself, or others.
- Isolation: feeling unable to talk about it and strained relationships.
- Powerlessness: feeling out of control with the situation.
- Conflicted feelings: mixed emotions towards the children involved.
If you’re worried about your child’s behaviour, try to stay calm and offer support to your child. It’s really helpful if you can make it clear that the behaviour is not ok but that you still love them and will help them get through this.
Where to get help
The experienced advisors on our confidential Stop It Now helpline (0808 1000 900) can help talk things through. You can stay anonymous and don’t have to give your real name, location or any contact details. If you’re not ready to speak to anyone yet, you can also use our live chat or send a secure email.
