Blckalchmst
Junior Member
I live in Louisiana and I have this friend.
She just turned 17, and she has 4 younger sisters. She works at a Dairy Queen that is owned by her parents. A little back story is in order I suppose.
Since she was in 1st grade she has had terrible nightmares of her father beating her and killing her. She's terrified of her father but I'm not exactly sure why. All I know is that he frequently yells at her, sometimes even threatening to kick her out on the street.
Since she was 10 years of age she has had to watch her siblings, and by watch I mean all but buy the food they eat and pay the bills. The parents are rarely home and leave her to fend for herself with her sisters, when she isn't forced to work-sometimes 40 or more hours a week. The working she has been doing since she was 15. She recently started an online home-schooling program, but prior to that her parents would force her to work from 4 pm (just after the release of school) until midnight on some nights. Not only that but would then proceed to yell at her for her homework not being completed.
She exhibits signs of depression also. These include: loss of appetite (on some days she only eats once per day), fatigue despite sleep (she sleeps whenever she can but is ALWAYS tired), she feels worthless and like she's going to be stuck in this rut forever, and even once took to self mutilation.
She's wanted to get out of her house before, she's wanted to do something. But she worries about her sisters. She doesn't know what would happen to them if she leaves.
Can anyone help me help her?
Are there any laws being broken?
What are her options?
I apologize if any of this seems disjunct. I'm a little worked up about the subject. If anyone can help me I sincerely thank you.
She just turned 17, and she has 4 younger sisters. She works at a Dairy Queen that is owned by her parents. A little back story is in order I suppose.
Since she was in 1st grade she has had terrible nightmares of her father beating her and killing her. She's terrified of her father but I'm not exactly sure why. All I know is that he frequently yells at her, sometimes even threatening to kick her out on the street.
Since she was 10 years of age she has had to watch her siblings, and by watch I mean all but buy the food they eat and pay the bills. The parents are rarely home and leave her to fend for herself with her sisters, when she isn't forced to work-sometimes 40 or more hours a week. The working she has been doing since she was 15. She recently started an online home-schooling program, but prior to that her parents would force her to work from 4 pm (just after the release of school) until midnight on some nights. Not only that but would then proceed to yell at her for her homework not being completed.
She exhibits signs of depression also. These include: loss of appetite (on some days she only eats once per day), fatigue despite sleep (she sleeps whenever she can but is ALWAYS tired), she feels worthless and like she's going to be stuck in this rut forever, and even once took to self mutilation.
She's wanted to get out of her house before, she's wanted to do something. But she worries about her sisters. She doesn't know what would happen to them if she leaves.
Can anyone help me help her?
Are there any laws being broken?
What are her options?
I apologize if any of this seems disjunct. I'm a little worked up about the subject. If anyone can help me I sincerely thank you.