Dear Pastor,

My problem is that my dad treats me like a four-year-old child and I'm a 17-year-old young lady. Even though I will be an adult in the next two months, he beats me with baseball bats, electrical wires and irons, even in front of my friends. This makes me feel really inferior. I am a house rat and people always say that I'm under house arrest. These things that I'm going through have a lot to do with me failing my exams. Once he called me dunce in front of my stepmother. My niece looked at me one day and said I'm a big girl and I'm getting beating even for nothing.

When he comes home from work drunk on Fridays, he always embarrasses me in front of his friends and they often laugh at me and call me funny names. I wouldn't want my worst enemy to go through these wicked things. Ever since my mom died, I just feel that there is no hope for me. She passed on two years ago. He helped to stress her. He caused her to die. He used to beat her and he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He impresses my step-mom, but little does she know. When my relatives in Jamaica send me letters, he hides them. I found them torn in pieces. Sometimes I feel like running away and even committing suicide, but I don't want to do anything stupid.

Please, pray for me, pastor.

R.M., Ottawa, Canada

Dear R.M.,

I am going to suggest to you that it is time for you to report your father to the authorities in Canada. The next time your father beats you or attempts to do so, call the police on him. He is an abusive and out-of-order man and he needs to be dealt with under the law.

If indeed he used to beat your mother, she allowed him to get away with his actions, but it is time for his habit of beating women to stop. Even his present girlfriend is going to get her share of the beating if he is not reported to the police.

Take heart. One of these days you will leave his house. It is just a matter of time and time goes by quickly.

Pastor