Teens, Victimization, and Trauma; Find healthy things that help you express how you feel: write in a journal, talk to friends, paint or draw, exercise. It doesn't matter what you do to express your feelings as long as it doesn't hurt you or anyone else AND makes you feel better. If you need help finding someone to call, contact the National Center for Victims of Crime Helpline at 800-FYI-CALL.

Assault; If you sense that something is about to happen, try to get to a safe place. Try to stay in areas where there are other people around. If you are attacked and need medical treatment, call 911, and let your parent or another adult know as soon as possible. If you are attacked and you do not know the attacker, try to remember what the person looked like. It will be useful when you call the police.

Bullying; Try to walk away from the bully. Sit near the bus driver on the school bus. Take different routes to and from school. See if you can get a friend or two to walk with you. Do not bring lots of money or expensive things to school. Try to stay in areas where other students and teachers are nearby. Try not to be in a bathroom or locker room by yourself.

Child Sexual Abuse; Being sexually abused is not your fault. Nothing about what you say, wear, or do gives anyone the right to use or hurt you. Tell a trusted adult; he or she can help you. If you are being abused or are uncomfortable about how someone is treating you, this is not a secret you should keep. Tell a teacher, counselor, or principal at school if there is no one yu can trust at home. Contact a local victim assistance agency, child protective srvices, or the police for help. If you need help finding someone to call, contact the National Center for Victims of Crime Helpline at 800-FYI-CALL. If you choose to tell someone, you should know that some adults are mandated reporters. This means that they are legally required to report neglect or abuse to someone else, such as the police or child protective services. You can ask people if they are mandated reporters and then decide what you want to do. Some examples of mandated reporters are teachers, counselors, doctors, social workers, and in some cases coaches or activity leaders.

Dating Violence, If you think you are in an abusive relationship, get help immediately. Don't keep your concerns to yourself. Talk to someone you trust--a parent, teacher, school principal, counselor, or nurse. If you choose to tell someone, you should know that some adults are mandated reporters. This means that they are legally required to report neglect or abuse to someone else, such as the police or child protective services. You can ask people if they are mandated reporters and then decide what you want to do. Some examples of mandated reporters are teachers, counselors, doctors, social workers, and in some cases coaches or activity leaders.

Hate Crimes; If you want advice about whom to talk to, call the National Center for Victims of Crime helpline (800-FYI-CALL), or contact a crisis hotline in your area. You might also want to talk to a trusted family member, the parent of a friend, an adult neighbor or friend, an older sibling or cousin, or another experienced person you trust. Consider calling the police.

Robbery and Property Crime; Tell a trusted adult or report the crime to the police. The person might be punished, and you might get your stuff back. There's no guarantee that you will recover what was taken from you, but if you don't tell anyone, chances are very slim that you will get anything back or that the offender will be held accountable. If you want advice about whom to talk to, call the National Center for Victims of Crime helpline (800-FYI-CALL), or contact a crisis hotline in your area.

Sexual Assault; If you have been raped, seek immediate medical attention, preferable at an emergency room. Medical personnel are trained to perform a "rape kit" exam, where they are able to gather evidence while examining the victim; this evidence can help police and prosecutors find and charge the perpetrator. If you want to report the assault, it is important that you do not shower, change clothes, or clean up in any way before going to the hospital, in order not to disturb any evidence medical staff might be able to collect for the police. Sometimes this process can be easier if you have a trusted friend, adult, or victim advocate with you. Tell a trusted friend or adult. Ask the person to go with you to the emergency room. Call a local victim service provider, such as a rape crisis center. You may be able to find a number to call in your local phonebook. If you cannot find one, call the National Center for Victims of Crime helpline (800-FYI-CALL). If you want to report the assault, call the police. Even if you don't want to report the assault to police right now, it is still iimportant to have medical exam to make sure you are okay. Sometimes people change their minds and want to report to the police later. Also, in addition to treating injuries, medical personnel can test for whether or not you were drugged. They can also give you medication to reduce your chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases or getting pregnant. If you choose to tell, you should know that some adults are mandated reporters. This means that they are legally required to report neglect or abuse to someone else, such as the police or child protective services. You can ask people if they are mandated reporters and then decide what you want to do. Some examples of mandated reporters are teachers, counselors, doctors, social workers, and in some cases coaches or activity leaders.

Sexual Harassment; Tell the person harassing you that his or her behavior makes you uncomfortable and you want it to stop. You can do this face-to-face or in writing. If you write a letter, keep a copy. In some cases, this will be enough to stop the behavior. If the person doesn't stop when asked to, get a copy of your school's sexual harassment policy. By law, the school has to have one. The policy will tell you whom to report the harassment to and how to do it. The policy should also explain what behaviors are considered to be harassment. Report the harassment to the appropriate person in your school, and/or tell a parent. If the harassment doesn't stop, keep a journal documenting each incident. Write down what happened, when and where it happened, whether there were any witnesses (and their names if you know them), how it made you feel, and how you responded. Then take this documentation to school administrators and ask them to take action to stop the harassment. Be persistent. If the first person you tell doesn't take you seriously, keep telling people in authority until something is done about it. If you want advice about whom to talk to, call the National Center for Victims of Crime helpline (800-FYI-CALL).

Stalking; Contact the police. Tell your parent, friend, school principal, or another person you trust. If you want advice about whom to talk to, call the National Center for Victims of Crime helpline (800-FYI-CALL).