No one—no matter how important they are to you or how much you love them—has the right to hurt you. If you are a child and you’re uncomfortable with how you are being treated, you need to let someone know.

You can tell your parent, your teacher, your doctor, or another adult you trust. Or you can call the Child Abuse Hotline. When you call them, tell them your story and tell them you want to be helped at Bivona Child Advocacy Center. It’s a safe way to make the hurt stop and the healing begin.

Here are the numbers to call:

In Monroe County: 461-5690

Outside of Monroe County, the NYS Child Abuse Hotline:
1-800-342-3720

The waiting room at Bivona Child Advocacy Center—a warm, welcoming place where you can begin to heal

Learn more about sexual abuse, and how Bivona can help you

If you’re a child, click here to learn more about child abuse.

You can read about behavior that’s okay, and behavior that’s not okay. We’ll also tell you what to expect when you come to Bivona Child Advocacy Center.

Download Bivona Tips for Kids (PDF).

Want to talk to someone right now? You can always call us at 585-935-7800.

For adults: Are you worried about a child that you suspect is being abused?

Make the right move—get help.

Child abuse is an adult responsibility. As much as we can help kids stand up for themselves, in the end it’s you who can—and must—make the difference.

What if I’m wrong?

If you are worried that a child you know is being abused, the chances are good that your suspicions are correct. We can say that because of the sheer number of children who are abused each year:

• Every six minutes in this country, a child is sexually abused.
• Nearly five children die in this country every day as a result of abuse and neglect.
• Here at Bivona, we help more than 1,000 children every year, just from Greater Rochester. We know that we are not reaching all of the children who need help.

Here at Bivona, the team of  professionals from our partner agencies are skilled at getting to the facts in child abuse cases. Not every child who comes to Bivona has been abused, but we only come to that understanding after a thorough evaluation of the child and the family.

Child abuse: how you can prevent it, and what to do if you suspect a child is being abused.

I can’t believe that [her father] [his uncle] [her grandmother] would do such a thing

Almost 90 percent of the perpetrators in child sexual abuse cases are someone whom the child knows, loves and trusts. As hard as it is to believe, it’s entirely possible that the person you suspect, or that the child has told you about, is engaging in abuse.

And it happens in every neighborhood. Sexual abuse crosses all the lines—race, religion, income, age, ethnicity.

What’s happening is terrible. But it can get better

At Bivona Child Advocacy Center, we bring together under one roof all of the professionals responsible for helping children who have been abused. Many of them have made it their life’s work. All of them are completely committed to treating every child with respect and compassion.

Bivona is where the trauma stops, and the healing begins. We can help the child you care about, and we can help you, too. Report the abuse, and ask to be helped at Bivona.

The most important factor in a child’s recovery is being believed and supported by a non-abusing parent

You could be the person who makes it possible for this child to go on to live a healthy and productive life. If you act.

More information for families and friends.

Questions? Worries? You can always call us at 585-935-7800.