Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Thank you for being so brave and writing to me about what’s happening with your dad. Living with someone who is hurting you can be a really scary situation to be in. No one has the right to hurt you in the way he does and this should not be happening to you.

Physical abuse is when someone deliberately hurts or injures you. It can include hitting, kicking, hair pulling, beating with objects, throwing and shaking. This is wrong. And it’s not okay for anyone to treat you like this.

Being physically abused can have a big effect on how we feel. But it’s really important to remember that it is never, ever your fault. Parents and carers have a responsibility to keep you safe from harm, and you have the right to feel safe and happy at home.

It’s really important that you try to tell an adult you trust about what's going on. This could be the quickest way to change what’s happening to you. This can be another family member, a friend’s parent, teacher, school nurse, youth worker or anyone else you feel you can trust.

Sometimes it can be difficult to talk about abuse but you can talk to one of our counsellors at any time who won’t rush you into saying anything you don’t want to and are here to listen and help you try to decide what the best option might be. When you do feel ready to tell someone, it can also help to write down what you want to say or put it in a letter for them.

If you feel really unsafe or in danger, you can call the police by dialling 999 and they'll come to help you.

You've done the right thing in writing to me and remember you are not alone in this. We're here for you whenever you need to talk.

Take care,
Sam