My friend endured unspeakable abuse by her authoritarian parents. She then became one herself. The children show signs of severe abuse. One child shot his gun inside the house and now shoots animals "legally" with his father. Her husband grabs and touches me, sometimes painfully and has scared me. When he grabbed me so hard I ran and he chased me and grabbed me again in front of my friend. When the 10 year old massaged my shoulders without permission, I was shocked. The youngest will say science is fake. I don't want to unload all the garbage but I am so worried. I'm not young, healthy nor do I have a job. Whenever I have tried to help or warned of abuse, I've been ostracized and my pleading for the abuse to end ignored. The children have nowhere to go. Both sides of the family hit the dogs so I know the kids wouldn't be safe with them. I don't want to call the police or make a report. Is there any intermediate step? Such as talking to the children's teacher? I'm especially worried about one of them. He locked my cat in the bathroom with him and she has been permanently changed from that day. She is frightened of everything and everyone.