Effective December 1, 2019, any adult who is aware of a minor who has been or is being abused, is the victim of a violent offense, or is being sexually abused MUST report it to the proper authorities.
There are some exceptions of who must report, including:
- Attorneys;
- Social workers and associates;
- Licensed psychologists and associates;
- Licensed professional counselors and associates; and
- Agents of rape crisis centers and domestic violence programs.
The law will be codified under North Carolina G.S. 14-318.6. Failure to report will be a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 120 days in jail. The person who has knowledge or should reasonably know of the crime must report it immediately to local police. Calling 911 is acceptable under the law. The reporter must provide their name, address, and phone number, but their identity will be protected in most situations.
To summarize, if you know of or suspect a minor is being abused, you MUST report it to the authorities, unless you fall under one of the categories of people listed above. Your identity will be protected unless needed for purposes of 911 call disclosure.
See the full blog post from the NC SOG here.