Young boy looks for advice on how to confront abusive father
Bongani Urban received an anonymous email
from a young boy who has tracked his missing father down and wants to confront
him for all the years he abused his mother.
A missing father, deadbeat dad, absent father – whatever you want to call it, one of our listener's fathers was not around for his childhood.
Read: Domestic abuse survivor urges others to speak out about their abuse
I always recommend that children try and get in touch with their biological parents, even if just for a conversation. The two parties need to know the other exists. It brings closure, it completes a circle.
In this instance, though, I am so confused. The young boy messaged me and told me that his dad abused his mother for years and that he’s been missing for most of his life.
He’s just turned 17 and as you know that with any 17-year-old, curiosity has got the better of him, and he’s managed to track his father down - but he doesn’t know what to do?
Also read: “My husband is abusive but I can’t leave”
Should he confront his dad for abusing his mother? Should he just reconnect with him because he hasn’t had a father around? Or should he walk away from the whole thing and leave it alone? Here's what happened...