Just for Teens

If you are under 18 years of age and you tell a doctor, nurse, school counselor, teacher, or other professional that you have been sexually assaulted by a family member or someone who has care-giving responsibilities for you, that person is required by law to notify the police and Child Welfare Services. These laws aim to protect children and adolescents and make sure that young people who are being abused get the help they need. If you are sexually assaulted by a non-family member, teachers, and school counselors have to follow their school policies about reporting. This may differ from school to school. Doctors usually make their own decision whether to report assaults that involve non-family members or caretakers.

You can call the SATC hotline at 524-7273 and talk with a crisis counselor without giving your name. A call to the SATC hotline is anonymous, as long as you don’t tell the crisis counselor your name or your telephone number. The crisis counselor can explain what will happen if the police are contacted and help you think through this decision. Crisis counselors can also arrange to be with you when you talk with the police.

Depending on the type of assault you experienced, your age, and other factors, the police are sometimes able to take a report from you without telling your parents. In other situations, the police or child protective services may need to inform your parents.

If you’ve been sexually assaulted and are at least 14 years old, you can go to the Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children and receive medical care, evidence collection, and crisis counseling for a sexual assault without parental consent.