How do I support my friend?

[coribells]

Not sure if this the right place for this discussion . I need some advice .
My dear friend s 13 year old daughter has recently revealed that she was sexually molested by a close family friend . The daughter has been going through huge emotional problems emotional problems for a number of year and attends a special school . Obviously SWs are involved with the family . The police are taking a statement from my friend today. So far my friend has not found that she could cope with listening to the full extent of what went on. She knows she has to hear eventually . How do I support her. I am going to see thus afternoon after the police have left.

Tell your friend - as kindly as you can manage - that this isn't about her coping, it's about her child coping. If that means listening to disturbing information, that's what she has to do. Very little can get done if she keeps her head in the sand.

Yes , that is my initial reaction. I was just wondering if that is the right one. Do u have experience of this?

Not directly, fortunately. However, if it was my child I would feel that I was letting him down if he had endured any harrowing experience for real and I couldn't at least do him the courtesy of keeping it together enough to hear about the full extent of that experience.