Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

It's not okay for someone to hurt you, especially if that person is a parent or carer at home. People at home are there to look after you and make sure you’re safe. This makes it especially difficult to cope when the person who should be there to protect you is hurting you instead. It's not okay that this happens and it's always okay to tell someone else about it.

When someone is hurting you this is called physical abuse. It's important that you feel safe wherever you are but home should be one of the safest places. If you don't feel safe at home it can affect all other parts of your life.

Telling someone else about what's happening at home is a big step to take and many people find it difficult to do. It can feel like you’re being disloyal or that you are getting people into trouble. It's really important to remember that you’re not to blame for what's happening and that telling an adult you trust doesn't make you responsible.

A good thing to do is to keep a diary of what's happening - how your mum hurts you and when that was. Keeping a diary can help you see how often it happens, as well as giving you a way to let your feelings out.

Childline can be a good place to start talking if you're unsure about what to do next. You can talk to one of our counsellors about this first and they can help you to make your decision. They won't ever push you into doing anything you don't want to do. They can just listen if you’d like to talk about it and not do anything else yet.

I hope this all helps you. Thanks for sending me this letter, take care.

Sam