Ask Amy: Abuse survivor wants to set record straight
Should I tell them, or let sleeping dogs lie? They think I was cold and uncaring toward him.
My mother also beat my sister and me so severely that our whole bodies were covered in bruises. I would have to wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts in the summer so no one would know.
I repeatedly ran away. I went to the police, who did nothing.
I moved over 1,000 miles away from them and have only visited once a year.
My mom and sister and extended family all think I just don’t care about my family. My aunts, uncles and cousins never knew we were being severely abused.
Should I tell them?
Do I need to feel guilty for moving away and never visiting?
I know this hurts my sister.
– Troubled Daughter
Dear Troubled: Given the violence and dysfunction in your past, I’d say that your choice to stay away is one of self-preservation.
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