And this was how my childhood abuse got reported to CPS

[Melissallgall]

I was 12 years old and went to a Christian camp in North Carolina with my church. My camp counselor talked to everyone in the cabin; and when she spoke to me, she noticed I was physically in pain. I brushed it off like it was nothing but she dug deeper.

I finally mentioned an incident that happened with my father right before I left for camp, and she told me that fathers shouldn’t do that to their children. She told me that she was legally required to report what I told her, and I begged her not to say anything.

I had grown up to believe what happened to me was “discipline” and that I deserved it. But this moment made me realize the difference between discipline and abuse. When I came home from camp, my church and CPS had to get involved in my life. My parents lied about our life to everyone and said I was lying for attention. My mother blamed me for everything saying I would be the reason my father would go to jail and my siblings and I would be in foster care just because I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. This began the most depressing time of my life, and I really held onto God to get me through. Before I was afraid of having a voice, but now I use it for others.

[chocolateavian]

“if you’re having suicidal thoughts, we’re gonna have to report it” my brother in christ that’s the issue

[amcselili]

"This is a safe space!"
I. Don't. Feel. Safe.

[Sillystraymouse]

“This is a safe space”
And
“What’s said in here stays between us”
Are the biggest lies I’ve ever been told.

[ezzymae]

“You can trust me” then immediately makes my home life worse, yet people ask why I have trust issues

[Aleks-Athame]

my school social worker told me that i displayed sociopathic behaviour and tendencies after i had just poured my heart out to her about everything i was going through. i was ELEVEN at the time, and hearing that from an adult that i trusted truly terrified me. guess who avoided therapy after that until i literally had no other choice?

[sunlight_shimmer]

"sorry I'm gonna have to report this" and suddenly my trust for every staff in that school is gone...

[GraceJesson]

They should state firstly that if anything is too brutal, that it’ll be reported, instead of tricking children into opening up and soon paying the price for it.

[mumtazsheikh]

When I was 7 I told a teacher I was being abused. As soon as I left the room, he called my mother. She almost killed me that night. It was the last time I would ever trust an adult to help me.

[starry-te]

as someone who used to be told, " don't tell ANYONE about what is happening at home" this is the worst

[FreakyKARMA]

no matter how depressed i ever be i will never talk to school counselor cuz we cant trust them tbh

[OyasumiChris]

I had this one counselor who was the best, he was chill and was an actual trustworthy guy. I could vent to him without fear of my parents being called since he knew what it was like himself. I remember having a bad depression episode, he was absent and I had to talk to a different counselor. That’s when I learned to not trust them; or to tread lightly when opening up about certain topics. Nowadays, I have a good adult support system (my old algebra teacher >>>> she still goes out of her way to check in on me even after I passed her class 💕). Yet that experience has made me more observant in the people I’m opening up to; focusing on reading expressions and body language more before going on with what I was saying in fear of saying the wrong thing.

[gaspshichat]

i had a counselor share my abuse as gossip to other faculty at my school. she told my mother, father, and stepfather every single thing i told her. now i don't trust anyone with anything. cps got called. my mother screamed at me constantly, saying i was going to get her kids taken away and i deserved what i got. she said my disorders were fake and i made them up for attention. it's been nearly four years and i think about this constantly

[Redfur_wcue]

THIS IS WHY I KEEP SECRETS FROM MY COUNSILER, she knows nothing cause i know she always reports back to my parents on what i told her!

[theFinnishSandiToksvig]

The constant stress of any suicidal thoughts being found out by counsellors at my school when I was younger made it 10x worse. I couldn't think of how angry and confused my parents would be if they found out. Everyone who's going through this has my support ❤

[dorkymee]

i vented to my counselor 2 years ago. I got shocked when everyone suddenly knew because one of the staff spread rumors about me after.

[jellysecret]

i struggled with self harm and suicidal ideation starting at age 11. thankfully i had an ethical counselor, who told me she was a mandated reporter who had to tell my parents if she thought i was a danger to myself. bc of this, i kept all of my subsequent therapists and psychiatrists at arms length. they helped a lot with my anxiety and general fears, but i had to learn how to stop hurting myself on my own.

that first therapy session after i turned 18 was so freeing. no more anxiously reading my therapists face, trying to figure out if i said too much. i just told the whole ugly truth, and actually got to work on it!

[Luv_Miri]

you can't trust a counselor or therapist but you can trust strangers on the internet a lot more..

[GeVanna-yo]

This is the exact reason im in foster care again. I talkedd my counselor about what my sisters abusive tendencies, and they ended up putting in an anonymous complaint to CPS. That day i went home and my sister yelled at me, saying i might ruin her career and get her kid took away. She blamed me for everything, making it seem like i was at fault, as if she wasnt being abusive. I ended up in a emergency youth shelter for 4 months, then they put me right back with my abuser. The same cycle is starting up again. I cant even trust the people i think i should. Im 13, i should be living in a stable home. At this point, im just trying to age out of the system, as corrupt as it is.

[_Oddity_]

That's why I love my second period teacher, she's fully honest about having to report issues so no one gets a false sense of security
She lets them decide if that's what they want, she doesn't lie about being able to keep secrets, and we love her for that