If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 now.
You found something.
Here is what to do.
Take a breath. You are doing the right thing by looking for help. This page will walk you through it step by step.
Stay calm.
Your child needs you steady right now. It is okay to feel scared or angry. But if they see panic, they may shut down and stop talking.
🫁
Breathe first
Take 3 slow breaths before you speak
🚫
Do not punish
They need to feel safe telling you
💛
Say this:
"You are not in trouble. I am here to help."
Talk to your child.
Keep it simple. Keep it safe. Your goal is to let them know they are not in trouble and you believe them.
SAY THIS
- ✅ "I noticed something is bothering you. I am not upset. I just want to help."
- ✅ "A lot of kids go through things online that feel scary. It is never your fault."
- ✅ "Thank you for telling me. We will figure this out together."
DO NOT SAY THIS
- ❌ "Why did you not tell me sooner?"
- ❌ "I told you not to talk to strangers online."
- ❌ "It is just the internet, it is not a big deal."
Save the evidence.
Do not delete anything. Screenshots, messages, usernames, and dates all help investigators protect your child and stop the person who did this.
What to save:
⚠️ Do NOT confront the person online. Do NOT delete the account. Let law enforcement handle it.
Report it.
You do not have to figure this out alone. These organizations exist to help you and your child. Pick the one that fits your situation.
NCMEC CyberTipline
Report online exploitation, grooming, or harmful images.
report.cybertip.orgReport when someone does any of these to a child:
Important:
- Never pay. Paying makes it worse.
- Save everything. Do not delete messages or images.
- Report quickly. The sooner you report, the sooner they can help.
- Support exists. Your child is not alone and neither are you.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Know2Protect Campaign
Get support for your family.
This is hard. You do not have to carry it alone. These organizations provide free, confidential support for families going through this.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988. Free, 24/7 mental health support.
Get HelpThorn: Sextortion Help
Specialized support for sextortion victims and families.
Get HelpStopItNow Helpline
Confidential support for adults worried about a child. Call 1-888-773-8368.
Get HelpRAINN (1-800-656-4673)
National Sexual Assault Hotline. Free, confidential, 24/7.
Get HelpWhat Phoenix Paw Foundation does and does not do.
✓ What we do
- ✅Teach the Freeze. Check. Tell. safety rule in schools and communities
- ✅Provide free educational workshops for children, parents, and educators
- ✅Share evidence-informed resources about online safety
- ✅Connect families with reporting resources (NCMEC, FBI, 988)
- ✅Advocate for child-safe technology and policy
✗ What we do not do
- ❌Provide crisis counseling or mental health services
- ❌Conduct investigations or law enforcement activities
- ❌Remove harmful content from the internet
- ❌Provide legal advice or legal representation
- ❌Operate a hotline or 24/7 support service
- ❌Conduct forensic examinations of devices
Teach them before they need this page.
The best protection is prevention. Bring a free CyberPaw workshop to your school, library, or community. Teach children the Freeze. Check. Tell. rule before something happens.