You are not required to report
This is the single most common misunderstanding we encounter. A civil claim does not require a
police report, a criminal investigation, or a conviction. Many of the people we represent never
reported to anyone, and it did not prevent their claims.
Reporting is a decision you are entitled to make on your own terms, including not at all.
If a child is at risk right now
That is different and it is urgent. The NYS Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse
and Maltreatment takes reports on
1-800-342-3720. In an emergency, call 911.
If you are considering a police report
Reports are made to the police department for the area where the abuse happened. What follows
is an investigation that is out of your control. That is worth knowing in advance, because it
is the part survivors most often find difficult. You can have support with you, and a local rape
crisis programme can provide an advocate to attend with you.
Reporting to an institution
Schools, dioceses, employers and agencies usually have their own internal reporting routes.
These are worth knowing about for two reasons: they may act, and either way the report creates a
record of what the institution was told and when, which frequently matters later.
Keep a copy of anything you send.
Support that is not reporting
If what you want is to talk to someone rather than to start a process, the
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline is free and confidential 24 hours a day on
1-800-656-4673, and the
NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline is on
1-800-942-6906. Neither starts anything you have not asked for.
See survivor resources for the full list.
Will reporting start a court case automatically?
No. A report begins a police investigation. Whether charges follow is a decision for prosecutors, and it is separate from any civil claim you might bring.
Can I report anonymously?
The child abuse register accepts anonymous reports. Police reports generally require your details, though what happens next can often be discussed with them first.
If I report, do I have to go through with it?
You cannot control a criminal investigation once it starts, which is exactly why the decision is worth taking at your own pace. A civil claim, by contrast, remains yours to stop.
Does not reporting make people doubt me later?
It should not, and in these cases it generally does not. Not reporting is the norm, and the reasons for it are well understood.