Did You Know?
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Anyone of any gender identity can experience sexual violence.
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The perpetrator of sexual violence isn’t always a creepy older person. They can be someone who’s younger and familiar, someone who seems nice, even someone you know.
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Sexual violence can also occur in a dating relationship.
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Shame and guilt are natural responses after experiencing sexual violence — and they also make it harder to tell anyone about what happened. But it never helps the situation to not tell a safe adult. It only helps the offender hide what they did.
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Sexual violence is never the fault of the person it hurts. Even if a young person sends someone nude selfies, the responsibility always lies with the person who shares the images along, which is sexual violence.
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Even if you or your friend made a mistake online, there is always someone who can help.
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Sexual violence is an abuse of power and control.
Frequently Asked Questions
#MyFriendToo is an educational website that helps young people help their friends tell a trusted adult if they or their friend have experienced sexual violence. This website does not collect identifying information or data about you or your friend. #MyFriendToo is not a reporting website, but it has resources that you can click on to get help.
Some adults are mandated reporters, which means that they are required by law to report to the police or child protective services when they think that a minor may be experiencing abuse or neglect. Teachers and medical professionals are mandated reporters, so they will be required to report to the police or child protective services if they think that you or your friend may be experiencing abuse or neglect. Not all adults are mandated reporters, so a report may or may not be made depending on who you tell. You can also ask an adult if they are a mandated reporter. If you tell someone who isn't a mandated reporter, they might need more information on how to report it. Even if they aren't required to report it, it may still a good idea to talk to a trusted adult who can help you. Learn more about reporting here.
Telling a safe adult can help stop the violence from continuing and keep you and your friend safe. A safe adult can intervene and help stop what is happening to you or your friend, empower you or your friend to get support and start to recover, and help ensure a young person’s rights are fulfilled. Telling a safe adult can help make sure the perpetrator is caught and won’t commit any more crimes. Telling a safe adult can help protect other people from sexual violence, too.
If you don’t feel safe and believe that you or your friend are in physical danger, please call 911 so you can get help right away.
This website has information about how to tell a trusted adult if something has happened to you or your friend have experienced sexual violence. More information about different resources can be accessed here. If you or your friend needs help, click the “Get Help” button to find more information about how you or your friend can get help.
Share this website with your students, colleagues, and caregivers in your community. Let your students know that help is always available and they are never alone. Additional resources.
Share this website with your children and members of your community. Let your children know that help is always available and they are never alone. Click the “Get Help” button to find more information about how your child or their friend can get help. Additional resources.
This website has information about how to tell a trusted adult if something has happened to you or your friend. If you or your friend needs help, click the “Get Help” button to find more information about how you or your friend can get help.
It's never your friend's fault if someone hurt them or shared their private pictures online. Not telling an adult can make things worse. Here are some ways you can help your friend:
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Listen and Believe: Listen to your friend and believe what they say.
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Reassure: Tell your friend that what happened is not their fault.
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Encourage: Encourage your friend to tell a safe adult, like a teacher or school counselor. Learn how to tell a safe adult here.
Your friend might feel embarrassed, anxious, or scared and think that telling an adult will make things worse. If that happens:
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Offer to go with your friend to talk to a safe adult.
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Offer to talk to a safe adult for your friend.
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If talking is hard, suggest writing down what happened and bringing it to a safe adult together.
For more information on how you or your friend can get help, click "Get Help".
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The Quick Exit button allows you to leave the #MyFriendToo website immediately. When you click on the button, you’ll be taken to Google search.
Sexual violence is, broadly speaking, any sexual act to which a person did not agree to take part in. Sexual violence does not always include physical contact. For example, sexual questions or comments from an adult to a child are an act of sexual violence too. Sexual violence can also occur online. For example, when an adult sends a naked picture to a child or tries to start a sexual conversation. Learn More
You are not alone. It’s okay to feel unsure, uncomfortable, or scared. And, it is okay if you aren’t ready to make a report right now, but you always can if you want to. There are resources available to help you and your friend. The #MyFriendToo website has different resources available to help you or your friend. There is no requirement to make a report, and there are many different types of resources available. Learn more about reporting.
Resources are always available and you are not alone. Click Get Help or visit the resource page to learn more about services that could help you or your friend.
A safe adult could be your parents, your friend's parents, an aunt or uncle, a teacher, a coach, a school counsellor, and others. Some adults are mandated reporters, which means that they are required by law to report to the police or child protective services when they think that a minor may be experiencing abuse or neglect. Teachers, police and medical professionals are mandated reporters if they think that you or your friend may be experiencing abuse or neglect. Not all adults are mandated reporters, so a report may or may not be made depending on who you tell. You can also ask an adult if they are a mandated reporter. If you tell someone who isn't a mandated reporter, they might need more information on how to report it. Even if they aren't required to report it, it may still a good idea to talk to a trusted adult who can help you. Learn more about reporting.
When you click on one of the “Get Help” resources, you will be sent to that organization’s website where you can find more information about ways to get help.
Learn more about how to tell a trusted adult about what happened here.
Sexual violence can happen on the internet, in person, or both. No matter what kind it is, you and your friend are not alone. There are many different resources on this page that you can use. You can also click here to learn how to get help.
Sexual violence is, broadly speaking, any sexual act to which a person did not agree to take part in. Sexual violence does not always include physical contact. For example, sexual questions or comments from an adult to a child are an act of sexual violence too. Sexual violence can also occur online. For example, when an adult sends a naked picture to a child or tries to start a sexual conversation. Learn More.
Consent means giving permission or saying it's okay to do something. When it comes to our bodies, it's very important that we always say 'yes' if we want something to happen, and 'no' if we don't. No one should ever touch us or make us do something with our bodies if we don't want to. It's like asking if you want to play a game – you get to decide if you want to play or not. Learn More.
Everyone's body is their own, and they have the right to feel safe and respected. It's important to speak up and tell a trusted adult if someone makes them feel uncomfortable. Everyone has boundaries, and it's important to respect them.
If you don’t feel safe and believe that you or your friend are in physical danger, please call 911 so you can get help right away.
