Asher's Space

If you have feeling suicidal, it's important to understand what exactly is causing these feelings, and bring them to a trusted adult. This could include a teacher, parent, therapist, or councilor. Talk and therapy can be very important in a situation like this, but in the chance that you don't have a local trusted adult, helplines and hotlines are available online and can help you get your feet on the ground. If you have harmed yourself in some way and need help, contact emergency services.

Not being able to help the situation hands-on can be stressful, but there are things you can do to help. Checking in on your friend through call, text, or even memes can be helpful. If you're worried that your friend could be in danger, but you don't know anyone around them who could immediately help, it's best to inform medical or police services and notify the team in their area.

If you know for sure that your friend is hurt, or overdosing, and they cannot call for help, you have the option to do it for them. Getting parents involved might not be what they want, but depending on their situation, it might be necessary.

Even if you don't have a trusted adult within your area, there are available resources online. If you were prefer to simply talk about what has happened, there are anonymous sites. While the internet might seem like a great, vast escape, it's important to understand when is and isn't a good time to talk about your experience. One recommended platform for mental health is TrevorSpace.

The safest route for this kind of scenario is to delete the files if you can, and contact a trusted adult. If the behaviour persists or you feel threatened by the content that you were sent/are being sent, you should bring it to authorities' attention. Predatory behaviour is dangerous, and should not be encouraged or ignored.

If the adult is someone you know, or someone who holds authority over you such as a parent, teacher/professor, or likewise, it shouldn't stop you from reaching out for help. Keeping yourself and others safe is much more important than their job or reputation.

It's important to have someone to go to when in a scary time. You shouldn't be afraid to turn to an adult, but if there is an unfortunate situation where you are not believed, you shouldn't give up. In cases where, say, someone doesn't believe the abuser could have done something, or that you are coming about it suddenly, you should go to another adult.

If you tell an adult, and they do not believe you, do not give up and let that situation muster. It will do more harm than good. A support system is always a great thing to have, whether it's a group of friends or a teacher at school. If you aren't comfortable vocally expressing what happened, you could always write it down on a note that states you need help, and you can seek it when you're ready.

The first thing to do when given a situation such as this would be to let your friend know that you hear them. A lot of people may struggle with the idea of coming out about sexual abuse for a variety of reason, whether it's because they are afraid they won't be believed, or if they blame themselves for not stopping it.

It's important that your friend is aware of your support, such as telling them that they aren't in trouble, or that they can get help if they need it. Some good things to also have ready are helplines; chances are, you are not a therapist. You likely aren't equipped with all the resources that your friend may need, and sometimes it's better to turn to a trusted adult or professional. In some cases, this could be a school counselor, a therapist, a parent, or even a teacher, though there are online resources available to help.

Your friend may not be ready to talk about all the details, and you shouldn't push them into it. Give them time to process, and let them do it at their own pace. A lot of people who are subjected to sexual abuse may feel a sort of power imbalance, and it's critical to let them have an open environment where they have control over their situation; do not force them to share photos, do not call police to their house unless it is a life-threatening situation. If your friend still lives in the same household or public service as their abuser, recommend ways to make space between them. Calling the police could potentially aggravate the abuser.

A feeling of guilt isn't uncommon for people who have experienced trauma or abuse. Maybe you think you could have been stronger, or you could have just said "no," but that doesn't happen to be the case sometimes.

There are services available who can help walk you through the process of recovery, whether online or locally. Reliving the past can be painful, and it's important that you give yourself time to heal in whatever ways you need. Maybe texting hotlines, maybe AI or self-care apps, maybe therapy, maybe body positivity... learn what works best for you, and understand that what happened can't be changed now.

The best option may be to block the person who sent you child pornography. If that person continues to try to contact you through different social medias or different accounts, you can move on to reporting them. If the content that they have sent you shows them taking in said child pornography, it is best to give the situation to a local legal authority; child molestation is far worse than possession child pornography. If this person sends you child pornography with the intent of doing the same to you, report them to the authorities also.

While sending nudes as a minor is illegal, it usually isn't enforced. Someone threatening to distribute or publicise the content is much more frowned upon, and shouldn't be something taken lightly. If someone is threatening to leak your nudes, even if they are a minor or around your age group, you should not hesitate to get a trusted adult or law enforcement involved. If they are threatening to post them onto social media, you should report them to those platforms. Evidence is important; keep track of threats made when reporting them.

In the case where a predator has but has not publicised the nude photos, you could send a request to the police to detail the predator, and wipe their computers upon confiscation and examination. If the photos have been publicised, almost all social media platforms do have a request policy that allows you to request photos to be taken down if they contain dangerous, pornographic, or personal information, such as nudes, financial information, addresses, or other revealing information that could be harmful to you or the public. This can also be reported to the police.

The first step to securing information from the internet would be to report the content and have it taken down. Most social media platforms have a safety and report policy. Secondly, if the first step is not enough, you could invest into things such as cameras, locks, and other security measurements. Do not walk alone in a secluded area. If you think there is a specific person going after you or your family, you can put out a restraining order against that person.

In a situation where you are being threatened by people on the Internet, the safest course of action would be to eliminate communication with those people. If they continue to harass or attack you, block them. If they form secondary account or send other people out to bully you, you should send their account to authorities. Do not overreact; threatening the bully such as withhold their IP address or school location may only cause more problems.