Stop It Now! What’s OK?

Free, confidential and anonymous help. Ask us about healthy and safe sexual behaviors, thoughts and interests.

Stop It Now! prevents the sexual abuse of children by mobilizing adults, families, and communities through direct support, information, and resources to take actions that protect children before they are harmed.

STOP IT NOW! History

Stop It Now! was founded by Fran Henry, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse who learned first-hand that standard approaches to keeping children safe from child sexual abuse at that time did not respond to the complex relationships surrounding most abuse. 

Her vision was to have the sexual abuse of children recognized as a preventable public health problem and to help adults take responsibility to prevent and stop sexual abuse of children. With a commitment to prevention, Stop It Now! creates and disseminates effective programs based on this principle of adult responsibility, shared through a hopeful and compassionate lens.

This vision continues to be realized through the work of Stop It Now! and its nearly 30 years of innovative programming, which has shown that:

1. Adults will act to prevent abuse, if they have access to accurate information, practical tools, guidance and support
2. Communities will mobilize around prevention initiatives, including efforts that address the complexities of abuse closer to home.

STOP IT NOW! Mission

Stop It Now! prevents the sexual abuse of children by mobilizing adults, families and communities to take actions that protect children before they are harmed.

We provide support, information and resources to keep children safe and create healthier communities. Since 1992, we have identified, refined and shared effective ways for individuals, families and communities to act to prevent child sexual abuse before children are harmed – and to get help for everyone involved.

STOP IT NOW! Vision

Adults engage in respectful, caring behavior with children and other adults to create safe, stable and nurturing relationships for all children. Children grow up free of trauma from any form of violence including sexual abuse and exploitation.

STOP IT NOW! Philosophy

Stop It Now! was founded on the belief that adults are in the best position to keep children safe from sexual abuse. By adults, we mean parents, survivors, family members, law enforcement, and professionals of all types. We also believe that people who might sexually abuse a child have an important role to play in prevention. No other prevention program has ever directly challenged all adults to take full responsibility for ending sexual abuse. 

Challenging individuals to hold themselves accountable is an important and bold first step towards stopping the sexual abuse of children. But it is not enough. We must broaden the notion of adult responsibility to inspire families and communities to push for a corresponding change in societal attitudes and government policies. As a society, we can’t identify effective solutions until we have the courage to face the real problem—people we care about who have lost control.

STOP IT NOW! Programs

Help Services – Provides free and confidential direct support and information to individuals with questions or concerns about child sexual abuse. Anyone concerned about child sexual abuse can reach out to our national prevention Helpline (1.888.PREVENT), email and chat services, an interactive Online Help Center, and our “Ask Now!” advice column.

Prevention Education – Develops, assesses and distributes educational materials through our website, publications, trainings, events and media campaigns. These help laypeople and professionals recognize harmful behavior and know how to take action – including where to get resources for action.

Technical Assistance and Training (Circles of Safety) – Provides consulting and brings our Circles of Safety training services to professionals, youth-serving organizations, coalitions, and community-based programs on strategies, policies and practices for preventing child sexual abuse. 

Prevention Advocacy – Advocates for the sexual abuse of children to be addressed as a public health priority, encourages increased investment in a full range of prevention strategies, and provides evidence-based information to media, policymakers and advocacy groups.