Dear Queenie,
My best friend comes from an abusive family. Her brother beats up on her and her parents don’t do anything to stop him, and her parents just yell at her when she complains to them about it and asks them for help.
Her grandparents have offered to let her live with them and my family has too, but she won’t do it. Her plan is to move in with her boyfriend when she is 18 but I don’t think that is a good idea.
Queenie, what can I do to hellp her?—Worried friend
Dear Friend,
You are quite right to be worried about your friend. Even if she lasts until then, moving in with her boyfriend may not solve her problems. In fact, it might make them worse. She will be totally dependent on him and that will not make for a good relationship.
On the other hand, while she will be dependent on whoever she lives with, if she lives with her grandparents or your family she will be safe while she works out what to do next – finish her education and possibly go on to college or get a job and become self-supporting and independent, and better able to make wise decisions about her future.
