Legal Reference Blog by Renee C. Walsh, Esq.

04/01: Teenagers Abused by Parents

Teenagers who are abused by parents either physically or emotionally must be courageous. Many times they feel that they will not be believed if they report the abuse and do not have proof of their injury. They want to get away from their parents and/or get help but do not know how. This article is for them.


Teenagers being abused must get out of the house and take shelter somewhere safe. An ideal place is the local emergency department even if the injury is emotional rather than physical. The emergency department is preferred over the police department because the injury can be treated immediately and it will be documented in medical records. A teenager who presents themselves to the emergency department at their local hospital and reports the abuse will have the benefit of the physician duty to report the abuse and will not have to take further action to report the abuse to the authorities. Furthermore, where the police may not believe the injuries took place or believe the teenager, a physician can determine the truth with diagnostic testing (such as x-rays in the case of physical abuse or a psychological examination in the case of emotional abuse) and/or by experience.

The teenager will have to be strong and persistent. They must contact the local police to file a police report to be included in the legal record. Then, the police will be on notice should future abuse take place. It does not matter if the abuse was in the past, the police report can still be made. If the police do not protect the teenager, then they must call child protective services, and/or the prosecutor's office in the county in which they live and ask to speak with a prosecutor. Internet savvy teenagers can look up the phone numbers on the internet or the numbers can also be found in the phone book in the government pages. The internet address for Child Protective Services of Ingham county is http://www.ingham.org/co/fiaindex.htm.

The authorities should take steps to place the teenager outside the home either with a relative or in another suitable environment. The teenager can request that the parents not see them unless the visit is supervised and/or unless the parent gets counseling. Furthermore, mature teenagers can petition for emancipation so that they do not have to live with relatives who are biased to the parent or with foster parents.

It is very important for the teenager to always record the date, time, number, and name of the person called, as well as take notes as to any conversation. Furthermore, teenagers should not be concerned with being labeled a runaway as reasonable persons must take themselves out of harm's way and if this means running away to a safe place, it is perfectly acceptable. Finally, it is legal for a teenager to defend themselves from harm if they are being harmed using reasonable force.