Alright, I know this person who is now 17 but had it rought growing up. Her dad was an alcoholic and a drugatic and very violent and was in jail more times than anybody could count. Her mother drunk, but not as bad as her dad. She never got to sleep at night because thats when her dad was worse, but yet she would still go to school the next day. He would come in her room in the middle of the night and drag her out of bed with a butcher knife in his hand. He destroyed everything they ever owned until finally they were so poor they didn't even have a pot to crap in. They didn't even have an outhouse....she had to use the bathroom behind her trailor on a pile of cement blocks. They had no electricity or even furniture(because he sold them for dope) and she had to sleep on the floor and cooked what little food they got on this small little kerosine heater that also heated their house. She was so scared growing up that her stomach hurt her alot. She always has had to take care of herself because nobody would do it for her. My question is, why wouldn't somebody help her? Like social services? I didn't know her until recently, but she said that they had been called many times but they never did anything but come talk to her once and a while. Her dad ended up killing himself (overdose) when she was 14, but then her mom started dating a man who had been in jail for rape. One night at around 3 in the morning when her and her mom was taking him home he tried to hit her and she decided she had had enough and got out of the car and walked to her grandmas. She lived with her for about a year until her mom finally came to her senses. She has a good relationship with her mom now, but couldn't something have happened sooner? I just don't understand why she had to go through all of that. What do you think?
2006-08-26 06:50:22 · 7 answers · asked by Danielle 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
I think that is very sad. I am in VA and social services is a big help here. I know that from experiance. I took in 2 children when there step father abused them and the mom just didnt care. The kids lived 2 miles from me and always called me to pick them up saying they have no food in the house and r hungry, I would bring them to my house feed them then take them home, until one say the girl called me and said step dad abused her, I picked her and her brother up and took them to social services they called the biological dad and he said he couldnt care for the kids so I spoke up and said I will. The kids have been with me for over a year now.
When your friend talked to social services did she tell them what all was going on or was she affraid? She could have gotten help somehow, I would think. But every place is different. I am sure that she is a stronger person now because of it.
2006-08-26 07:05:47 · answer #1 · answered by momof3isme 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, you have alot of information on this girls experience for just being a recent friend. I know a young man who tells stories sort of like that and I know the truth. Social services were called to his home several times and they never found all of the abuse he claimed simply because it wasn't happening. I am still very close to the family and I saw what really happened. He was bi-polar and tended to see the world through eyes that distorted reality. I am not saying that your friend is lying about what she says happened to her but I do question why, if there was abuse no one turned it in. People love drama and ,in most small towns anyway, calling protective services seems to be a recreational activity. And in most places the parent is not given the benefit of the doubt and kids are removed before an investigation can even be completed. But then you also have places where social workers have 100 cases each and they must try to help all of those children. Unfortunately some do fall through the cracks. Which may indeed be the case with your friend. There is no reason why we have to go through certain things, we just do. Hopefully your freind gained strength from her misfortune and will be able to use that to carry her through life. Either way advise her to get counselling. If she truly did live that life she will probably need it.
2006-08-26 08:17:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing can be done unless they are told. The grandma should have said or done something if the girl explained what was going on. An agency can't help if they don't know anything is wrong. Common sense.
Social Services often make mistakes. There are hundreds of cases where they either don't get the child out in time, or they do too much and take a kid away when they shouldn't have. Social Services does not pay very much and sometimes they are very stupid in their decisions and for some reason nothing is ever done to them when they cost a kid their life or ruins a reputation.
2006-08-26 06:59:27 · answer #3 · answered by Ice4444 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure shes a lot stronger person now because of it and she will make better decisions then her parents did... social services is only if your being unfed and locked in a closet and are underweight they really dont give a ****...
2006-08-26 06:59:37 · answer #4 · answered by cutenwild1769 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i really feel for that poor girl; as for why no one could help her, i honestly don't know. these child protection agencies have so many cases & not enough ppl that sometimes kids fall through the cracks. they probably had (have) cases even worse than that as sad as that is.
2006-08-26 07:07:14 · answer #5 · answered by lady sixx 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Becuase alot of the time those services are alot of bull crap.
2006-08-26 06:56:30 · answer #6 · answered by retra 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow thats to long i cant give you my opinion write less next time
2006-08-26 07:05:49 · answer #7 · answered by HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋