My friend is being abused.

[Guest]

I have a friend who lives across the country from me who is living in a very dangerous situation. Because I'm so far away, I can't do much to help physically, but for the past year or so I have been supporting him emotionally and providing him with resources and a listening ear to help him figure out how to escape his situation on his own in a realistic and safe way. Now that he's turned 18, and he doesn't have to worry about legal backlash for trying to escape, I wanted to ask if it would be alright if I used the NRS call or chat service on his behalf to try and find some immediate resources for him in his area, and to help give him a better idea of the kind of assistance he can expect to get if he were to reach out himself. The only reason I think this might be necessary is that he has essentially no privacy at home whatsoever, and is under almost constant physical AND digital surveillance. I wanted to try and ease his worries about potentially being caught trying to reach out, which would be very dangerous for him if it happened.

How could I go about doing this?

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out to us and letting us know what's going on. It sounds like your friend is going through a lot and is lucky to have a supporter like you in their life. Of course, we recommend that your friend contact us directly to talk about what's going on, but we're more than happy to talk to you to brainstorm options that can best be of help to your friend. If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, 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 and your friend in any way we can.

All the best,
NRS

[Guest]

My Bestfriend is being abused by her boyfriend and I don’t know what to do? I am scared and I want to tell her mom because if something worse happens what am I supposed to do. She will hate me if I tell her mom but I’m so worried and I’m stressing myself out about it.

[ccsmod7]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out for your friend. She is lucky to have a caring friend like you during this difficult time. It sounds like you are worried about her safety and you are wanting to tell her mom. That's understandable. If you are ever feeling like she is in immediate danger, you can always reach out to an adult or call 9-1-1. Nothing is more important than her safety, even though it is a possibility that she could be upset with you.

Abusive relationships can be really difficult to leave for a variety of reasons, so again it is really great that you are by her side while she is going through this. You might give her this website: www.loveisrespect.org. It is a great website that talks about teen dating violence and what her options are while in an abusive relationship. They also have a Teen Dating Hotline: 1-866-331-9474. You might also give her our information: 1-800-RUNAWAY; www.1800runaway.org. We are here for any youth in crisis, and we can support her and talk through her options as well.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us yourself if you would like to have a conversation about the situation. You mentioned being stressed and worried, so it is important to take care of yourself while you are helping her. You can't fill a glass with an empty pitcher, you know? We are always here for you and your friend.

Thanks again for reaching out. We wish you the best,

NRS