Girls Only: Ask Dr. M: Other

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Dr. M is the author of five advice books, including Getting to Know the Real You: 50 Fun Quizzes Just for Girls, and Girls: What's So Bad About Being Good? How to Have Fun, Survive the Preteen Years, and Remain True to Yourself, both written with her teenage daughter. Dr. M shares this advice column with Molly, a middle school student who loves to play soccer, dance, write and spend time with her friends.

Read more questions and answers in these categories:

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Dear Dr. M and Molly,
I think my friend's parents beat her. She has a lot of bruises and she makes up dumb excuses of how she got hurt. What should I do?

—Adriana, 10, Illinois


	Dear Adriana, Although you don't know for sure what's really going on, you are concerned about your friend. It is possible that what sound like "dumb" excuses to you are true. But you should always trust your gut feeling that something's wrong—your friend's parents may be beating her. This is the kind of serious problem that requires an adult's help. Encourage your friend to talk to a school nurse or teacher. Even if your friend doesn't want you to, tell your parent or another trusted adult what you suspect. That person should act to make sure that your friend will be safe. Your role is to listen and support her, but it is an adult's role to directly take action.


	Dear Adriana, This is a very serious issue. If you think your friend is being abused you should tell someone. Maybe you could tell a parent, teacher or school counselor. You should not keep it to yourself because it's not OK for your friend to be hurt. I was once in a situation like this and I told someone immediately. My friend did not want me to say anything but I felt that I needed to do tell someone. I was at camp and I told my counselor. I did not want my friend to get mad that I told someone so I convinced her to tell the same counselor. She got the help that she needed and thanked me later for it. It is a difficult situation to be in but you need to do what you know is right.

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