TEEN QUESTION/PROBLEM:
my best friend has been abused by her parents since she was very little...is there anyway my family can adopt her and her siblings?

TEEN LINE WROTE:
Hey thanks for contacting us here at TEEN LINE! I am so sorry you have to be witnessing your friend go through this. You must feel very helpless about her situation and afraid for what could happen to her and her siblings. I really admire you for caring enough to want to help your friend. you sound really determined to help her and concerned about her well being, which is an awesome quality to have as a friend! I wonder if you have talked to your parents about this, or maybe mentioned the abuse to an adult you trust, like a teacher or priest? Sometimes telling an adult who might know what to do is the best idea to help make sure that your friend and her siblings are safe. I am going to give you the number for Childhelp USA, the National Child Abuse Hotline, which is 800-422-4453, they're going to give you info about intervention and counseling referrals. You may want to pass it along to her, and please feel free to call us at TEEN LINE at 310-855-4673 every night from 6 to 10 pm PST! I hope everything works out!

a TEEN LINE listener