Alex's Answer

Hi there and welcome to Ask Alex, 

Thanks for reaching out. You have explained that a father, after an argument with a 12-year-old, grabs her arm, drags her across the floor, and restrains her in a chair. You are asking us what the best form of action is. 

We are very concerned that this is happening, as this is a Child Protection issue. Using force on a young person is a form of physical abuse. It is quite common to find emotional abuse and physical abuse together. This 12-year-old who has experienced physical abuse by her father is at risk of getting hurt again, both physically and emotionally. Children have the right to be protected from harm. Any form of abuse is penalized by the law and needs to be reported to Túsla, the child and family agency. Please, see the link to their website with the information needed to make a report: www.tusla.ie/children-first/parents-and-guardians/how-do-i-report-a-concern-about-a-child/   
Alternatively, you can contact the Gardaí at 999 or 112. The report needs to be made as soon as possible to keep the young person safe. 

If you needed further support with reporting, you could give our Support Line a call between 9am and 1pm, Monday to Friday (01 522 4300). We also have our free services for young people 18 years and younger. You can phone our 24-hour phone service at 1800 66 66 66 or use our web chat service through the Childline website www.childlie.ie by clicking on the orange Live Chat tab and sending ‘hi’ or ‘hello’. Both these services are confidential and non-judgemental. We would encourage you to seek support as soon as possible for yourself and the young person you are concerned about. 

We hope this helps, and we would really like to hear from you very soon. 

Take care of yourself, 

Alex