For some children, the research interview was the first time they had ever spoken to someone about the abuse they were subjected to: “This is the first time that I am telling this aloud. This is my first time saying that someone sent me an image of his p****.” “They [my friends and my parents] never knew what happened. To this day, they are not aware of what happened to me at that time.” Their hesitation and silence underscore how difficult these experiences For more details about the statistics presented in this section, view the Appendix can be to talk about, as children experience fear of backlash, shame, confusion, or uncertainty about whether anyone would understand or believe them. Without early intervention, exploitation and abuse can escalate and continue for years. Children are left to carry the burden of exploitation and abuse alone, without the support they need to recover, while perpetrators are neither stopped nor held accountable. Through Children’s Eyes Who do children tell? 28