To think this was a bizarre response to disclosure of abuse?

[FirstOfHerName]

Recently a young relative revealed that her stepfather had been abusing her for a number of years. This came out after the death of her mother, and it's been very traumatic for other members of our family too as they support her in reporting him to the police and getting counselling etc.

My family all live overseas but this has been playing on my mind a lot and it's been quite stressful as my parents are her main source of support, and her stepfather has been threatening them too.

Recently I met up with a close friend I'd not seen for a while and told him about what's been going on and how I'm quite worried about my parents.

His response to say "oh how very Archers". I was pretty taken aback by this - AIBU to think that's a odd and rather insensitive reaction?

People don't know what to say when they are told about abuse. They find it all very awkward.

Is he usually a dismissive twat?

Not usually, so it floored me a bit 😕

Awful response. Yes. Let him know it was extremely insensitive.

That's not awkward, it's just rude.

Disclosures re abuse tend to make people uncomfortable.
I have heard some real corkers in my time.
It doesnt make it okay however.
The Archers remark is dismissive/patronising.

Maybe he felt it wasn't your place to talk about someone else's abuse.

Did you not read the rest of my post?

It is all about his issues with it, not any wrong speaking on your part.
But yes it is painful and disappointing to get such a response.

It sounds as though, for whatever reason, your friend didn't want to talk about it and chose this way of dismissing the subject. It was a very insensitive way of doing it - the most charitable interpretation would be that he was flustered and blurted this out without thinking.

It's possible the subject triggered thoughts of something that had happened in his own family, I suppose, or even that he has other things upsetting him and just couldn't deal with your emotions on top. If he is normally sensitive and caring, there must have been a reason for this reaction

Maybe he felt it wasn't your place to talk about someone else's abuse

In which case why didn't he say 'it's not your palce to talk about someone else's abuse' rather than 'how very Archers' ?

And in any case Op was discussing her worry about her parents and them being threatened. He sounds stupid OP - it was a ridicuous response, however awkward anyone may feel surely they can summon up the ability to say ' I'm very sorry to hear that, what a horrible situation' etc.
He was just being dismissive. Did you say anything in reply OP?

Why were you telling him abut her abuse? Does he need to know? Would she want him to know?

Again, read the whole post.

I dId.

I did.

Sounds like a clueless, heartless git. More Brookside than Archers.

I was telling him of my worries about my parents and told him why they were targeted.