Teenage son is abusive to his girlfriend and to us – we are so worried
DEAR DEIDRE: OUR teenage son is so abusive towards us and his girlfriend. It’s destroying us.
I’m 51, my wife is 50 and our son is 17.
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He used to be disruptive at school and we hoped he’d grow out of it.
Now he’s completely off the rails. He has dropped out of college and is out most days drinking and smoking. Also, he treats his girlfriend so badly.
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I’ve seen him push her in a drunken rage. He doesn’t treat me and his mum much better.
He swears at us and makes hurtful comments that reduce my wife to tears.
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DEIDRE SAYS: There is no excuse for violence. When he is calm, let him know you worry about his behaviour and ask him to get help.
Tell him it is unacceptable for him to be violent towards his girlfriend and things cannot go on like this.
Add that unless he agrees to get help, he will no longer be able to stay at home.
Contact Respect, which helps those who are violent, as well as their family (, 0808 802 4040).