I don't know if I'm going to make it out with my sanity

Wow. This sounds horrible, and as hard as it is to believe that people treat their children like this, I imagine some do. It just isn't right. That people leave their kids with your mom is frightening.

I gather you're home schooled, so I guess you don't have a teacher or counsellor or school administrator to turn to. But I picked up from your post a few sources of support. Friends, extended family, and Girl Scouts.

If you do get out of the house to go to Girl Scouts, can you have a conversation with one of the leaders of your troop? Are they aware of the kind of home you're coming from? Can they perhaps do some digging for you in terms of support from social services? A foster home might be your best bet compared to living with your mother and her husband.

But what about extended family? Are there aunts or uncles who could step in if you asked them to? Grandparents? Older cousins?

Lastly, there might be some friends who are familiar enough with your situation that their parents might have pity on you and invite you to live with them. The problem is that I don't see this move as temporary. I see it being permanent. And not many people are going to sign up to raise someone else's kid when they aren't a relative.

But it does sound like you need to make a change if you're to escape with your sanity.

 

You need to tell the therapist about her beating you. Physical abuse is, flat out, illegal. If you get CPS involved, she could get in serious trouble. She is not allowed to hit you, EVER, mother or not.

I highly suggest taking the offer to get the hell out of there. Tell them what is going on. Maybe your girlfriend's dad can help you. If you have an adult and other people standing behind you and you contact the authorities, it gives you more power.

Hang in there, regardless. You're almost 18. Legally, you'll be free then and you can get out of there for sure.

 

Oh wow, you have got to get out of there! There must be an organisation or charity you can contact, it sounds like your stateside so i'm not sure what charities there are over there, but there has to be some. Over here (in the UK) theres quite a few, failing that theres always the police and social services. How long until your 18th birthday? Also if your mum is likely to beat you, id recommend keeping your head low, im usually one for standing up for yourself, but you wanna get out of there in one piece. Also some kind of authorities should be warned about your mother if shes taking care of other people's children.

 

She IS your girl scout leader?!? Is this like 'home school' scouting?!? Or is she the leader of a troop? Because if she's a leader of a troop, then there are even MORE crazy parents putting their children in the care of someone who sounds pretty unstable.

I'd agree that the counsellor that you're able to speak to should be told that your mom is physically violent and that her husband is emotionally abusive.

If you're able to write all of this here, I'm assuming you're able to write an email to your aunt and uncle. Tell them what is going on when nobody else is around. Let them know that you're miserable and that you don't think it's safe for you there, and that you'd like their help. Be sure that they understand that you're afraid of repraisals from your mother - and that just talking to her isn't likely to work.

 

It is not your fault. You do not deserve this kind of treatment from anyone. You are not the cause for your mother's behaviour. I repeat, this is not your fault. (*hug*)

Your mother is a grown women who has to take responsibility for her own actions. How she and your step father is making you feel is not ok. You do not need to feel ashamed of asking for help and you should not be ashamed for what you've had to go through.

There are more ways of damaging a person than physically abusing them. Emotional abuse is equally as damaging.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. No one deserves this kind of treatment, and its not your fault. (*hug*)

 

Well did your mother beat you unconscious or didn't she? I don't think that needs to be a regular occassion to warrant you being afraid for your safety and asking for help.

And I'd say that a mother who beats her daughter, suggests that nobody will care if you kill yourself, and suggests you're going to be as worthless as her father is in fact unstable. She isn't a good mom.

The only person who can change your situation is you though. If you think it's bad enough to tell your aunt and uncle all of these things then do so, and hopefully they'll be able to do something about this. Don't embellish. Don't exagerate. Tell them exactly what is happening... Document what's going on in your life in some kind of journal or log so that people can get a sense as to how bad things really are.

 

Although I can understand not wanting to ruin your aunt and mother's relationship with each other, if there is no other trusted adult you can turn to for help until you're 18, you should really tell them.

(*hug*)

 

Well maybe your aunt can offer you some advice. She knows your mom better than we do, so perhaps she'd have some suggestions for you. You don't need to approach her with "Your sister is bat-shit crazy and is beating me! Please help!" Instead you can approach her with "Your sister and I are not seeing eye to eye on things, and I'd like to get your perspective on some stuff."

But if you're not going to bring this up with another adult then you really are signing yourself up for whatever crap your mom and her husband are going to keep throwing at you. There isn't really anything that we can do for you from this end.

 

Alright, I'm just going to be blunt. Your therapist sucks major ass. If you're trying to hurt yourself, you are in danger. He's supposed to report that.

Let me ask you some basic questions. When you turn eighteen are either of your parents (or step parents) prepared, capable, or willing to pay for college? When you turn eighteen will you have a place to live that is not your current situation, or do they basically intend to kick you out? How much support will you need or have from your parents (or step parents) once you turn eighteen? Do you intend to leave the moment you turn eighteen and tough it out on your own?

These are some important questions you need to ask yourself. If you are reasonably certain that you are going to be on your own when you're eighteen years old, and your parents (or step parents) are no longer of any benefit to you after that point... then I'd seriously consider contacting Child Protective Services.

Speak to them. Let them do an investigation. Let them know what is going on. Inform them that you need help.

One possibility is that they'll remove you from the home and place you into foster care. Of course, since you're seventeen, you'll be aging out of the system very quickly.

Another possibility is that they'll leave you at your home, but do frequent visits to check on the status of you and the other children. This might be the most likely outcome, and may or may not be bad. It'll keep your parents (and step parents) on their toes, and hopefully make abusing you difficult.

If you think you're at risk of hurting yourself, you need to seek help. You need to inform your therapist - tell him flatly - that if he doesn't get you out of there, that you're going to end up hurting yourself. He is legally obligated to take action to prevent such a thing from happening.

 

you should seriously get out of there

---------- Post added 30th Apr 2012 at 02:36 PM ----------

If your only other place is your grandma's, why can't you go there?

---------- Post added 30th Apr 2012 at 02:39 PM ----------

"They've only abused me three times, the last time being years ago."
You can't make excuses for them. Abuse IS Abuse. Again, you NEED to get out of there.

 

Echoing Chip: Get out. Leave in the middle of the night, get to a police station or hospital, and let them know what's going on. Your current environment is clearly unsafe, and you have no incentive to stay.