I feel so sorry for my stepbrother? It's long - but please read if you want to help!?

Question

My new stepbrother is the same age as me (16).

He has a sister who is 15 and a brother who is 12. I am an only child.

We moved in with them and I had a pretty hard time adjusting - not to school and stuff but to my stepfather.

He treats his oldest son way too harshly. He'll slap him across the face for anything, he'll beat him with a belt, a few time with a wooden stick which was so awful it cracked his skin open, he'll make him stand in the corner of the living room for hours on end even if we are all there. He humiliates him beyond words.

He doesn't do it with his other kids or me. If I didn't know this I'd actually think he was great.

My stepbrother is very quiet and doesn't have any friends in school. (he spends most of his time in the library) He doesn't get bullied or anything - he just doesn't talk to anyone. He is a straight A student.

I didn't want to announce that he is my stepbrother when I first got to school because I didn't want anything to do with him, because he seemed so...weird and unpopular.

People pretty much leave him alone.

At home he keeps to himself as well. I asked him a few times to help me with my homework and he did that and it turns out that he is actually fun and great once he gets relaxed a bit.

I started hanging out with him all the time. He is so perfect in every way and I can't possibly understand why my stepdad would do things he does. His siblings are awful to him as well and I can't stand them.

I talked to my mom and she said we shouldn't meddle, it;s his son and if he needs that sort of discipline, then his father knows what is best for him.

Last time he gave him one of those horrific beatings, I called the police.

They filed a report on his dad although my stepbrother told them nothing. They put both him and his father in councelling.

Since then he has become even quiter. He told me I shouldn't have meddled and that I have made everything worse. (and he never wanted to talk about it, even before when I asked he said that is his private problem - which it isn't really because his father enjoys all the public himilation)

He still gets beaten. Except that now I am not sure what I am supposed to do. I feel so sorry for him- and NOBODY is doing anything about it.

Should I do something again even if he told me not to.

Answer 1

It's a really tough situation but it definately sounds like your step brother is being abused. His father is using his power of parental control to abuse him and it's not right. I feel that you did the right thing to say something about it, and if your step brother gets angry at you for doing so, just tell him that it's because you don't want to see him getting hurt. When I was younger my mum would beat me quite badly for any small thing I did and once it left a bruise on my forehead and my nursery teacher asked me who did it and being a 4 year old I told them my mum did and they had to get the social services to come round my house every so often to check that my mum was a fit parent. They eventually decided that she was, but I still felt like my mum was too strict with me, she still is now and I'm nearly 15. It can be hard especially as your stepbrother doesn't want his and his father's problems exposed. Maybe you should try to get your stepbrother to talk to his dad about the way he treats him, how it makes him feel and to tell him that he feels his dad treats him differently and more harshly than his siblings. Hopefully then something can be done. It is a really sensitive subject to talk about, especially as your step brother seems reluctant to have anything done about it. As for his social life, encourage him to join an after school club with you so he can make friends, because if he has a good personality like you said, when he opens up, he can have good friends

hope that helps--x

Answer 2

I completely thing you did the right thing, good job! I would simply try and be his friend, be there for him and support him, Thats really all I can say sorry. Good luck >3

Answer 3

This is horrible! You definitely did the right thing for calling the police! He has probably always had to deal with this and thats why he is telling you not to do anything about it...he probably thinks things will get even worse. I think you are the only true friend he has and you should still help in any way you can. Even though he is telling you to stay out of it you shouldn't. He sounds like a great person and he doesn't deserve this. Nobody should be treated like that. You are such a good person for wantng to help your stepbrother. Here are some good websites that could help you:

Answer 4

You can talk to your teacher and she will get a child protection officer to see what is going on. The father must not like this young man for some reason,but he should not be abusing the child. If you hadn't said anything he might still be abused. Some people become bad people in adult life just because of things like this. You did the right thing.

Answer 5

please look up the hot line phone number for boys town.

they have trained professionals that will be able to guide you in this situation. it's a free call.

no one deserves to suffer and be humiliated

Answer 6

Call CPS, Child Protective Services.

What is happening is all out Abuse. The chances of your stepbrother growing to be an abuser is great.

Meddle, step in do what ever you can, tell your teachers, tell anyone who will listen. Your stepfather is a bully and no humn being should be treated this way. This is not discipline this is abuse and you should be ashamed of your mother's lack of action.

In my stae (Tn) if you know of ongoing abuse and you do not report it, you are just as guilty as the abuser.

Yell, scream, seek help. Do what you can.