Domestic abuse is investigated the same way by the police whether children or adults experience it, but some things in the laws are different depending on age.
This page is part of the Guide for victims of domestic abuse under the age of 18.
Adults must tell Child protection services or the police if they think someone has been abusive towards you or someone in your home. It's not up to them to decide whethe to report the abuse, they have to do it by law. This is to help keep children safe.
This could for example be a school nurse, a counselor, a coach, a teacher, people at the youth center, or other adults, whether you know them or not.
Even though everyone under 18 is considered a child by law, some rules are different for those who are already 15 years old.
It doesn't matter how old you are, it's always better to tell someone about domestic abuse to get help. You should try to tell someone what happened as soon as possible, although it is never too late.
It's against the law to commit abuse. That's why the person who experiences the abuse doesn't have to press charges to get the police to investigate, whether they are a child or an adult.
If the police find out about domestic abuse, they will investigate the case. If there's enough proof of the abuse, the case will go to court. Those who experience the abuse will get a lawyer called a legal rights protector. This person will talk with the adult who is with you during the process about how the case is going.
Everyone who experiences abuse suffer, but everyone can get help to feel better. Once Child protection services know about the abuse, they will plan support for you and sometimes for your parents too. Most of this support involves talking with psychologists.
From the time the abuse is investigated by the police until a verdict is given in the case, it usually takes about 1 year, sometimes even longer.
