My parents abused me physically, mentally... sexually. When I would contest, I was told to phone the abuse hotlines as they laughed. I would be mocked as I tried to defend myself. They would usually say I'd never be treated better and that the hotline or service would remove me from my siblings. I was often told life isn't fair and then they would take the family on drives to impoverished areas of the city to show us what life could be like. My parents would compare my life to the life of people in this area of town. I was told I had it good and that it could always get worse. I could have rats in my bedroom or I could be a hooker like the ladies working the street that we saw on those drives. Fear was a tool they used often, I never phone the hotlines or the child protective services. I was too afraid to be seperated from my siblings. Specifically, my older sister who is wheelchair bound and disabled. I felt I had to protect her from all the evil institutions my parents told me about. Basically, they scared me from the World and I just learned to accept their abuse as normal. I thought love was being beaten and terrorized. One of the most bizarre things my mother ever did was attend family dinners completely nude. This behaviour stopped when I was in Highschool, but it was consistent throughout my childhood. It wasn't until I turned 24 that I learned it wasn't normal for mother's to eat family meals naked. I left my entire family at 25, I tried setting healthy boundaries but my parents viewed this as betrayal. Again my mom laughed and told me to call protective services. This time I decided to call, to protect my older disabled sister. My 4 other siblings no longer speak to me and deny all my allegations and both my parents have turned their backs on me. I haven't seen my sister in 2 years and have no idea if she's safe. I'm in therapy and I'm slowly trying to rebuild my life so I can try to fight for custody of my sister. It's going to be a long journey - I hope I can help her one day.