Alex's Answer
I'm afraid of my brother
Your Question
im scared. my brother is 10 but EXTREMLY abusive [physically, mentally, emotionally, sexually] i dont know what to do anymore anytime i tell my mom about it she denies everything i tell her or says “ill talk to him about it” and rarely does and when she does he screams and hits and fake cries until my mom stops. he has sexually assaulted me multiple times [including penetration with fingers while i was stuck} and a few days ago he hit me on the head with a broomstick giving me a concussion, since then he has hurt me numerous other times and its been happening since he was 5. what should i do?Â
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Answer
Hi there, thank you for contacting us in Ask Alex.
Firstly, it was courageous of you to reach out to us about this. We understand that talking about abuse can be very difficult, so well done for seeking out support.
It is really concerning to hear that you are being physically, emotionally, and sexually abused. Nobody deserves this, and nobody has the right to treat you this way. It is important that you get the help and support you deserve.
We are sorry to hear about how your mom has responded to your attempt to get support. Your mom has a responsibility to protect you, but it sounds like she has not been able to do this with your brother. I really hope this does not stop you from reaching out for further support, as there are people that can help you. We want you to know that you are not alone.
It is understandable that you are feeling scared. Your feelings are very valid considering what you are going through. It can be very confusing and difficult to know what to do when you’re being abused. It can particularly difficult when the person is a family member and when your attempts to get support did not end well, as it makes it harder to reach out for support again.
A good next step might be to talk to someone who you think would be there to support you with this. This could be a friend, an adult that you trust, like a teacher, another family member or even your GP. Just to remind you, also that when you are feeling unsafe at home, you can always call the emergency services on 999 or 112 too.
It is important that this abuse stops, and your wellbeing is prioritised. If you don’t feel ready to confide in somebody you know, there are also professional services that you could turn too such as Túslaa www.tusla.ie/services/child-protection-welfare/. It would be their job to protect you and keep you safe.
You might also find it useful to contact us here in Childline. You could talk to Childline about this, and we can keep it confidential for you and help you figure out options that might work for you. Childline offer a free non-judgemental support and are open 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Our freephone number is 1800 66 66 66 or if you prefer you could use our web chat on www.childline.ie (click on the orange Live Chat button/tab).
We hope you found this useful and please reach out to us anytime you need to.
Take care of yourself,
Alex