Alex's Answer

Hi there, you are very welcome to Ask Alex.   

Thank you for contacting us. We understand that it’s not always easy to share how we’re feeling, but we also know how important it is to talk about our worries.   

You are wondering what you should do if your parents threaten to send you back home as this is what they are threatening. You are also sharing with us that they slapped you and beat you up because you were rude. You say too, that you are always afraid of speaking about what is on your mind because you might be beaten. It sounds like you are going through a really difficult time, and we are concerned to hear this. No one has the right to harm you or hurt you physically, mentally, or emotionally. Every child and young person has the right to be safe, to be cared for and to be treated with love and respect.   

Physical abuse involves a person using physical force against another person which causes or could cause them harm. It can be a single incident or something that is ongoing. Some examples of physical abuse could be slapping, hitting, pinching, and kicking. Deliberately hurting someone in any way using physical force is physical abuse and this is not okay.  It is also not ok to be threatened and you should not be made feel that you cannot speak your mind.  

You have the right to feel safe and happy in your home and your parents have no right to hurt you in any way. There are laws in place in Ireland that protect young people from harm so that means there are organisations and support services available to keep children and young people safe from harm.    

You can call Túsla on 0818 776 315 from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. You can also visit their Changing Futures website to find more information about their services: changingfutures.ie/  If you ever feel like you are in immediate danger, you should call emergency services any time by dialling 999 or 112. Those are freephone numbers that can be contacted no matter where you are, if you are in danger.    

Talking to someone you trust about your experiences and how they make you feel might be something to consider too. You have the right to get help and support so maybe talking to someone you can confide in, a trusted adult such as a teacher, coach or school counsellor might be an option for you? 

However, if you feel that you are not ready yet to talk to someone you know, you are very welcome to chat with the Childline Team by phone on 1800 66 66 66 or through our web chat on www.childline.ie. You can start a chat by clicking on the Orange Tab on the right-hand side of your screen. Childline services are free and confidential, and are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.  By talking with us here, we can help you come up with some options of supports that are available to you. 

Thank you for reaching out to us.   Take care of yourself, we hope to hear from you soon. 

Alex