My father is abusive

[Unregistered]

I'm turning 13 in two months and have been going through a lot. My dad, who by the way I refuse to give him any title of parenting, abuses me both verbally and physically. I've been called countless names everyday and just today he grabbed me by my arm and shoved me into a door. Before he has grabbed me by the back of my neck and thrown me into my room. I get threatened and have started self harm. I've talked to my mother about her kicking him out but she chooses him over me and refuses to. I want to runaway and never come back. I don't have any where to go, though. I hate my life and want to die. Nobody will help me at all and I just-- I don't even know anymore.

[ccsmod11]

Re: My father is abusive

Hi there,

Thanks for opening up to us about this difficult issue. We’re so sorry to hear about what you’re going through right now. You absolutely do not deserve to be subjected to verbal and physical abuse, especially if it’s causing you to practice self-harm. You may feel like nobody will help you, but there are resources available that may be able to provide information, support, or guidance during this time. Know that you can speak with one of our liners any day of the week, 24 hours a day, by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY. We also have a chat service available through our website every night from 4:30-11:30 PM CST (www.1800runaway.org).

There are a few options available to you right now. First, you have the right to file an abuse report with your local police department. You can also contact child protective services in your state. They can look into the situation further and determine how best to help you. There are also resources available for you if you’re dealing with self-harm or suicidal thoughts. You can try contacting the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK, or explore the website twloha.org. Finally, you can try talking about what’s going on at home with a teacher or counselor at school, although be aware that they may be mandatory reporters – that means they might be required by law to report instances of abuse to child protective services.

You aren’t alone in this situation and we are always here to help you through as best we can. We’re always here to listen and explore options at our call center. We wish you the best of luck in this stressful situation, and let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.

Stay safe,
NRS