I don't know what to do...

[Unregistered]

So I was talking to a friend today, we were eating lunch, and she told me that when she was little that her father used to hit her mother and her brother. The father doesn't do it anymore, and he never left any kind of bruise or other mark on their body, so I don't know what to do. My cousin went through a similar thing and apparently the people in charge of child abuse said it was okay to discipline as long as there was never a mark left...I just don't know what to do now...

[2NDFLOOR]

This is a tough situation. I'm not sure why someone would say that if there was no mark left that physical discipline was ok. However, I do know that some cultures believe it is ok to use physical discipline. This link provides you with the definition of abuse by the state of New Jersey along with ways to report abuse. http://www.nj.gov/dcf/reporting/links/ Did your friend tell you this because she was scared to be at home? What you can do is talk to your friend more about this. Ask if she wants help in reporting the situation or if she wants to talk to someone about it. You can also go and talk to your school counselor or one of your parents and let them know what you heard. This is not something that you want to handle on your own. If you want to talk more don't hesitate to contact us 2NDFLOOR Youth Helpline is here 24/7 at 888-222-2228 or text us daily 4-8PM at 908-280-0235.