Lots of different things count as violence. Punching, kicking, threats, verbal abuse, destroying someone’s things, or forcing someone to do something sexual. Nobody has the right to do anything violent to you, and it’s never your fault if you are victimized. If you are subjected to any kind of violence, you always have the right to tell someone and get help to stop the violence.

Knowing or suspecting that a friend is a victim of violence or something else can be a difficult position to be in. The most important thing you can do is showing them that you are there for them and ready to talk about what’s going on. You can also help your friend tell the police, a teacher, their parents or someone else who can help them end the abuse. If you’ve been told that your friend is the victim of violence, you might also need to talk about it with someone else. You’re always welcome to contact a support group if you need to talk!