I have a serious legal question...?

Question

I'll try to keep it brief. My friend was being beaten up & molested by his stepfather. The stepfather was also beating up my friends mother too (and im sure he still does). But she never did or does anything about it, which i dont understand. I dont know if she knows about the molesting part though.

But anyways, my friend told me about it but made me swear that i wouldnt tell anyone & i havent. but then he ran away & he hasnt been back. my legal question is this - is there anything i can do to get this guy arrested for this stuff? i dont have any proof. i only know what my freind told me, but now that hes gone i want to help him & maybe he will come back. can i call the cops on this guy? or can i not do anything without proof?

Answer 1

that is a serious question and you asked it very well.

my gf is a psychologist who deals with families with similar issues. It is complicated why the mother hasn't reported it, and you are right, she may or may not know of the molestation. The short answer to that is they are probably both afraid of the father.

Here is what you can do and why it should work:

Adults at school, such as teachers, principals, nurses, etc. are what are called "mandated reporters". That means if they are brought evidence of a situation like you describe (sadly all to common) then they, by law and by the ethics of their profession, MUST look into it, and if they suspect it is true, then they MUST report it to the authorities.

If someone is in immediate danger, then that could be the police, more likely it will be Social Services. A social worker or someone similar will contact the family, and they have the right to investigate and also take the children away immediately, or impose restrictions on the family.

You can also make a phone call to Social Services yourself, and you can do it anonymously. The name of the agency varies from state to state, so it may be different where you are. You should be able to find their phone number in the blue and or white pages of your local phone book, or you can call 411 and ask to be connected.

you are very right to be concerned about your friend and his family, he and his mom are in grave danger. beyond that, his situation is simply not healthy, not for his physical or his mental health, and it will affect the kind of man he will be growing up. Most men by far who act as his father does had fathers who acted the same way, so imagine what that means for your friend if he doesn't get the help he needs.

don't wait, and good luck to all!

Answer 2

By all means you can go to the police and do a report.  You're right, it's just hearsay coming from you, but it opens the investigation and they can take it from there.

I hope your friend realizes the bad position he put you in and you're a stand up guy to take the responsibility and do the right thing, good for you.  

Mom's in victim mode, when she snaps out of it she will back up what the stepson said.  Sometimes they do right away, sometimes they never do.. sad, for sure.

Answer 3

If he was still in school,  consulting the school counselor privately may lead to a more profound solution to your question.  Also, a pastor, preacher, etc. may really be of help on the discreet side of your situation.  Good Luck, and God Bless....

Answer 4

Try filing a complaint with the police.  They may not accept it since everything you're saying is based on what you've been told - even so, it will put the stepfather on their radar.

Ultimately, your friend will need to cooperate before the police can take action tho - his testimony seems to be the only real evidence you're aware of.

Another possibility is, if the mother knows anything, she could help build a case...if she cooperates...