#MyFriendToo US Launches During Child Abuse Prevention Month: Groundbreaking initiative empowers young people to safely disclose sexual violence and abuse to a trusted adult

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  
Coco Lammers  
CLammers@ChildFund.org  
804-545-3607 

#MyFriendToo US Launches During Child Abuse Prevention Month
Groundbreaking initiative empowers young people to safely disclose sexual violence and abuse to a trusted adult.

WASHINGTON, D.C. | April 21, 2025 – When a child is sexually abused, they’re more likely to tell a friend than an adult. Sometimes this means the abuse is never reported. It always means that too many children don’t get the help they need.  

That’s why ChildFund, alongside Protect Children and 20 other organizations, is launching #MyFriendToo US as a way for young people in America to help their friends disclose sexual abuse to a safe adult.   

The initiative centers around a comprehensive and accessible website, MyFriendTooUS.org, which provides resources including a disclosure tool that connects kids to lifesaving services. The site also includes information on child sexual violence and exploitation, all in child-friendly language, as well as tools to guide young people on how to identify a trusted adult and how to talk about what they or their friend have experienced.  

“The tone of #MyFriendToo is crucial,” says Coco Lammers, U.S. Policy Director at ChildFund. “When a young person tells a friend they have experienced sexual abuse, emotions can be heavy, and the friend might also feel a sense of responsibility around such a challenging topic. Going to MyFriendTooUS.org is like talking with an older sibling who says, 'You are not alone, you've come to the right place, and here’s how to get help.'”  

The website also includes a section for teachers and caregivers with resources to help them share this information with the young people in their lives.   

The project is a collaboration of the #MyFriendToo US Committee, which unites 20 notable youth-focused organizations including the YMCA, Scouting America, Boys Town, Camp Fire, Gallagher, Higher Education Protection Network, kNot Today and others. #MyFriendToo was originally created in Finland as an evidence-based program to support children experiencing sexual abuse and to help them grow their resiliency.  

"We developed My Friend Too in response to recent research showing that children and young people are not telling adults about their experiences but instead primarily confiding in their friends,” says Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, psychotherapist and Executive Director at Protect Children. “Our goal is to increase young people’s reporting of harassment, grooming and sexual violence to adults and to the authorities." 

There is enormous potential for impact through the #MyFriendToo US Committee Network. The program is projected to reach tens of millions of children nationwide, providing them with educational tools, reporting mechanisms and connections to support services.  

To learn more, join ChildFund’s #MyFriendToo US webinar on April 28 or contact Coco Lammers at clammers@childfund.org. 

About ChildFund

ChildFund works throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas, including the United States, to connect children with what they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe — at home, in school, in community, online. ChildFund leads the End OSEAC Coalition, a group of 30 civil society organizations advocating for policies to protect children online. Find out more at www.ChildFund.org.