I Feel Unsafe Around My Mom and Step-Dad
TeenHealthFX is very sorry to hear about the terrible situation you are in right now. We can absolutely appreciate that you would be feeling hopeless, sad, angry and scared about it. Given what you have been dealing with, we can also understand that you have had thoughts of running away. However, running away is not going to be a helpful or safe solution for you, so we certainly hope you will not resort to something like that. What we would like you to know is that there are caring, trustworthy people out there who will want to be helpful to you with this situation. We would also like to assure you that things can get better.
In order for things to get better for you, professional adults need to intervene on your behalf so you and your family members get the help that is needed to ensure that your home environment is a safe one. You can either speak to a staff member at school, such as a teacher, school counselor, nurse, or principal, who can contact child protective services. Or you can contact a child abuse hotline yourself (the contact information is listed below).
Whomever you speak to, it is important to clearly and specifically describe how you are being hurt emotionally and physically in your home right now. It is also important to be clear with whomever you are speaking to if you are concerned about how your mom and step-dad will respond to professionals intervening so that the people who are there to help you, deal with this matter in a way that will keep you safe.
Again, FX can appreciate how awful this has been for you and that it must be very difficult to believe that things in your life can get better given the current state of things. But know that there are people who will want to be there to help you with this right now in your life, and that eventually you will be an adult who will have the power to make your own home as safe and loving and you need and want it to be. But getting to that place starts with your reaching out for help so you can get the support and guidance you need, and so you are not dealing with this all alone. So please reach out for help as soon as possible.
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse. Serving the U.S. and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. All calls are confidential. 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453.
