I have a 16 year old facebook friend who sometimes posts that her mum has called her things like a "stupid cow" and a "silly little bitch" and thrown her phone across the floor. On the last comment thread she said "See, this is why I want to move out", but obviously in the current economic climate it's unlikely she'll be able to until she's 18 or older. She doesn't want to go to university (although I wonder how much this is her parents telling her not to bother)
I want to say something along the lines of "You know this isn't right, don't you, she doesn't actually have the right to speak to you that way" - however - this is where the awkwardness comes in, she's actually my ex's sister, I have her on facebook so that she can see photos of DS (her nephew) and sometimes we go over there so that DS can see his aunt and grandparents, since XP doesn't see him any more.
I've also witnessed stuff like when she was choosing her A level options, she wanted to do photography and her dad was saying "No, you're not doing it, what do you want to do that for?" and when she was thinking of applying to a childcare course at the local college they rubbished that too saying it would just be a repeat of what she'd already done (it wouldn't - it's a good course, with good placements). I think she's got her head screwed on but it worries and upsets me that her parents are like this with her. I can't support her in any physical way but I just wondered if it would be a good idea to let her know I think she's great and she should follow her dreams and not worry about what her parents say, or whether that would be a bad idea?