Squidboards

she did that in front of you?! that’s. horrifying. that makes me wonder what she does when her kid’s friends aren’t around. first of all i am so so sorry that your friend is going through this and that you had to see someone you care about be treated like that.

the responsible answer is that you should go to an adult you trust. teachers and other adults who work with minors are mandated reporters in many cases. they’ll have to make a report and potentially get your friend help.

but it’d be irresponsible of me to suggest that without saying that the system isn’t infallible. sometimes nothing happens. sometimes nothing good happens, and now the abuser’s more angry that somebody reported them. i suggest talking to your friend about what support they want. but in the end, trust your gut.

and of course, be there for them on a personal level. you being there goes a long way in reminding them they’re not alone.

wishing yall the best here

…i will say that if i were in your situation, my gut would lean towards saying something. like, the fact that their mom would hit them in front of you is deeply, deeply disturbing, even relative to child abuse in general.