Can my step-dad hit me?

[Guest]

thank you very much

[ccsmod15]

Hey there!
No problem at all! We are happy to help in any way we can. If you would like to talk with us again you can always call us at 1800-RUNAWAY or chat with us via our live chat at www.1800RUNAWAY.org.
We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

My step dad me with a knife in my back a minute ago I need help

[ccsmod16]

Hi, Thank you for reaching out; we are glad that you did. This sounds very scary having your step dad hit you with a knife.
For immediate help, please call 911. To talk with us in real-time, please either call 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us via this website.
If you feel like you are in danger, consider going to a neighbor or friend to reach out for help. You don't deserve to be treated like this, at all.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

I grew up living with a stepfather that would beat me and my mother whenever things didn’t go his way. I remember him beating my mom to a point where he broke her nose. I remember him pushing her against a glass cabinet with a table. I remember him beating me with a belt on my leg because he thought I spoke back to my mom. I remember him pulling my older sisters hair and throwing her against the wall. I remember when he ran over my moms foot with his keep. I remember when he burnt me with cigarette fumes on my arm. I remember when he called me a ********** almost every time he was angry. I remember him slapping me in the face because he was mad a man cut him in line at Walmart. I remember him talking about my sisters weight, calling her a fat pig. Calling her disgusting. I remember him punching me at a mall infront of people. I remember him slapping me on my face twice. I remember him dragging my older sister across a garage and punching her. I remember him grabbing her by the throat. I remember my mother lied to me that he broke her arm. I remember he pushed my mother down the stairs when she was pregnant. He called me useless, he told me I would never find love because I was so miserable and my attitude was horrible. He plays victim. He talks so bad about my mother and sisters. He degrades us. He beat my mother so many times. He’s even thrown knives at her. He punched my mom in the face at a baseball game. He’s done so much more. But after all of this we took him back into our lives. And my mom has loved him. And she might take him back again.

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out. Your stepfather's behavior was completely unacceptable and you, your mom and your sister do not deserve to be treated like that by anyone. If you are currently at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. If any harm or abuse is currently happening at home, you have the right to report it. If you feel like this is an option you want to explore, you may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/.

It can be really hard to process trauma from physical abuse like that and it may be helpful to speak with a mental health professional. An agency that could be of great help is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), they can help you locate low or no-cost mental health care providers in your area. Their number is 1-800-662-4357 or you can go to their site at samhsa.gov. Getting out of a violent relationship can present many difficulties and if your mom needs help or wants to learn more about the cycle of domestic violence she may want to reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 800-799-7233 or by going to https://www.thehotline.org/.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

Stay safe,
NRS

We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

After I got home from fishing with my friend he broke my mom's fishing pole that he was borrowing. I knew that I was going to be in big trouble and when I got home my mom didn't seem to care. My step-dad did. Also, the price from my school sent a letter from my school saying that I called a kid a fagget. I told asked my mom when it happened and my stepdad said: It doesn't matter you still did it. And I said I know. Ans my friend was right beside us the whole time and he said to not argue with my parents and that I will probably get in trouble if I do. So I said: It doesn't matter I always get yelled at and punished for everything I do. And my stepdad got up and put his hand around my neck and pushed me against the garage. And he said if you want to talk like that again then next time I will knock you out and bash your head against the garage. My friend just stood there and his eyes started to get watery while I was pinned up against the garage. Then I clenched my fist up beside me and he said oh you want to fight I will knock you out right here right now. Then my mom just told me to just go downstairs and on my way down there my stepdad said that I was grounded in my room without anything to do or watch t.v or play video games. And that's what happened today.

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thanks for contacting us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing your situation. It sounds like you have been really struggling at home with your relationships with your mom and step dad. It seems you have been trying to take accountability for your mistakes, but your step dad is still lashing out at you. It can definitely be stressful when the adults in our lives are not willing to talk with us and have a conversation about recent events that have been difficult. There is never any justification for someone to physically harm you, especially a parent's partner. No matter what mistakes you might be making, you deserve to feel safe and supported.

Often having a safe space to express how you have been feeling can help you decompress and bring up ideas not thought of previously. Maybe there is another family member, family friend, or counselor at school that you can go to for support. If you are not ready to talk to someone in your life about what you have been experiencing, you can always reach out to NRS. We are available for immediate support by phone at 1-800-RUNAWAY(786-2929) or through live chat at 1800runaway.org. You are not alone in this and we are here to listen and help as much as possible.

Stay strong,
NRS

[ccsmod3]

Hey there. Thanks for contacting us here at NRS. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step. It sounds like things really took a turn between you and your stepdad, and we're sorry to hear that. Based on what you've described, it might be a good idea to reach out to Child Protective Services and file an abuse report. Their job is to ensure that you're safe in your home, and if you're not, to decide what steps should be taken in order to make sure that you are. If this is something that you're interested in doing, you can file a report on your own, by contacting us here at NRS for support, or by telling a safe person of the abuse (like a teacher, school counselor, therapist, etc.). Each person that I've listed is considered a Mandated Reporter and has a legal obligation to contact CPS when there are any suspicions or indications of abuse. We understand that moving forward in this process can be scary, but want you to know that your safety is critical. These are folks who will prioritize that. If you have any questions about filing a report, what it entails, or would like to learn more about child abuse in general, Childhelp is another great resource to utilize. They're a child abuse hotline and you can reach out to them by texting or calling 1-800-422-4453, or by chatting with them live at www.childhelp.org.

If you'd like to chat in more detail about your situation or have some support in filing an abuse report, please feel free to reach out to us directly by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY, or by chatting with us live at www.1800runaway.org. We're available 24/7 and are always happy to listen, and to help.

Take care.

NRS

[Guest]

my stepdad took my laptop because i left a glass of water on it and he would not give it back to me can he do that i mean i am a 40 year old woman

[ccsmod15]

Hey there thanks for reaching out to NRS,
It seems like you’re going through a really frustrating situation right now and feeling belittled by your step dad after he took away your laptop when you left water on it. It is understandable to feel upset when they act like that.
Without knowing more about the exact situation it seems unlikely that he has authority to take away your access to your laptop as it could effectively be stealing. That is unless they have a court order granting them extended guardianship over you which would complicate things.
It might be worth reaching out to local police no emergency line, or legal aid resources if the situation doesn’t seem likely to be resolved through a reasonable discussion between adults.

[Guest]

Can my stepdad hit me if my biological mother gives him consent?

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now and you mentioned being harmed. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. You may also be able to report any mistreatment to child protective services. Child Help USA 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org is an organization that helps protect minors from being harmed. They can tell you more about how CPS could respond to your situation. If you ever need assistance calling out to CPS to make an abuse or neglect report please call is at 1-800-RUNAWAY.

Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. You are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.

If you would like to talk more in detail please chat soon through our website www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in. We unfortunately cannot give advice as we are non-directive. You know your situation best

We hope to hear from you soon.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

my stepdad does the same, he's thrown me down the stairs before and covered my mouth until I couldn't breathe bc I told him he was lying. ( I may or may not have thrown a grilled cheese near his head) but either way, my mother told me I was provoking him. She gets angry whenever I bring it up, but honestly, I am still really traumatized by it, even though it was 4 years ago. recently, He threw a work boot at my face and caused a bruise, when I told my mother and showed her, he told her I was lying. I've called the police before, but they somehow managed to convince them that I was being aggressive, or that I was the one who hurt one of them. Once I had told my mom what had happened, she told me she would call the police, knowing I would not be able to convince them that it had in fact happened. I am 16 now and only have 2 years before I can move out. The most heartbreaking thing though, is that my mother was never like this until she met him, I miss the old her.

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

You mentioned some things that raise concern for your safety and well-being. If any harm or abuse is happening at home, you have the right to report it. We are not experts on the issue, but generally once it's been reported, social services will either decide whether or not to take the case and further investigate. If they do take the case, they will send out someone from child protective services to do an investigation (interviewing people in the household) and from there they will decide the level of danger within the household. It generally ranges from no danger (the youth stays in the home, some services are given, and the case is closed), moderate danger (they will provide family services with possible temporary displacement) and high danger (they will remove the youth from the home and offer certain services).

If you feel like this is an option you want to explore, you may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/. We can also help you to file a report if that’s the route you are considering.

Please be safe and reach out soon by phone or chat so that we may help.

Take care,

NRS