She is being abused, and there's absolutely nothing I can do.

[JennaRotersy]

Name changed regular.

She's 18. I've known her three years. She's vulnerable (as in police tagged vulnerable).
I know her Mum well.

She's not had a great child/teenhood for a myriad of reasons, and I've worried about her the whole time I've known her, she gets involved with people of unsavoury character and this is what she's done now.

He's in his late thirties, was a vagrant just out of prison when they met. She actually lived on the streets with him for a while.

He's committed several crimes involving violence against women in the not distant past.
I have tried telling her but she doesn't listen, 'he's changed' 'he loves me' 'he's going to get us a house-she was actually living on the streets with him and reported missing many times but I think she's emotionally trapped. She's terrified of him although she'd never admit it. I suspected he was physically abusive although she's never actually told me this, mutual acquaintances who I trust have.

Anyway last night she called her Mum and said she's escaped from him and hasn't been able to for ages, said he's beaten her up and she's scared. Mum said go straight to a police station.

She refused saying they'd be 'money on her head' if she does anything against him.

Her Mum rang the police told them everything. Doesn't help that she won't tell anyone where she's living with him because she knows our feelings on the matter. Her Mum did some digging and found out where she was likely to be going last night (friend's etc in the town she was in).

Police called her Mum back several hours later saying they'd spoken to her, she's denied everything said he's never hurt her and she was just lying to her mum about it.

She's now told her Mum she's never speaking to her again for reporting it.

She's told me in the past not to text or call her as they share a phone (again denying this is because she's scared of him).

I'm trained in a specific type of mental health therapy, I'm not completely naïve to what's happening here, but there's absolutely fuck all I can do about it, and It's making me die inside. I truly believe he is completely capable of killing her. She was 17 when she got with him. Being 18, she's an adult.

I am not sure what I want from posting this. It's just so so hard. Her Mum is looking for her now but It's needle in haystack. Where she is with him is some hour and a halfs drive from us, which does not help at all.

What a truly awful situation, I wish I had some wise words but just didn't want to read and run

That’s a really horrible situation.
Can you contact her, invite her round for a cuppa or plead a desperate need for help and when she’s there really talk to her and explain what she can do to get away from him safely

It's appreciated jay.

She's 18,but she isn't if you hear me. She's very young, her self esteem is none-existent. She's tiny. She's feisty, rebellious and determined but here, this determination to do her own thing and prove those who truly care wrong, is endangering her so much.

I have never met this person and I don't want to. I think I'd be as scared of him as I believe she should be :(

I dont feel I can contact her as she's asked me not to on the 'phone she shares with him.

I could be putting her in more danger if I do, I think when she contacts anyone outside of his circle It's in secret.

Last time she was at her Mum's her Mum expressed her concerns in a very clear way, but she's infatuated and blinded. She eventually became very angry and was up all night shouting and screaming at her Mum to the point her Mum was actually scared she'd hurt someone, she threatened to set the house on fire too. And she was clearly scared of not going back to him. He's made her come off all social media accounts.

I've also done the fake need for help thing before too when she was missing.It worked for a couple of days, but then she was back to him and being 18 her Mum (nor anyone else) can't keep her against her will.

It’s awful but if her mum has said talk to the police and we will help you there’s very little that can be done. It sounds awful but hopefully they’ll be the one time too many and she’ll find the strength to leave him, all you can do is reiterate that you’re there for her and will help you whenever she makes contact

I know, greenyoga. I don't want to make this about me at all, but I am close to her mum and have spent a lot of time with her having had her take a shine to me as 'mum's cool friend'(as if!) And I am not of the type to let things get to me but I've been having terrible nightmares recently because I'm so worried. But yes I agree all I can do is hope she sees sense soon. I have it on good authority that he does a lot of drugs too, I hope to hell he doesn't get her doing them.

I know you said that contacting her via their shared phone would invite his wrath but could you do it in a sneaky way?

Eg he’s obviously a horrible specimen but probably wants cash for drugs etc. If you sent a text saying ‘Hi, it’s x. I have that £30 I was going to give you for your birthday/whatever. Fancy picking it up?’
Do you think he’d ‘let’ her go? You’d definitely be out of pocket but it might buy you a few minutes to talk to her?

I've just learned from her mum that shes at a women's refuge in the town she's been hanging out in. I don't know anything else but I assume the police have become involved. I am not sure how these things work but I hope they're able to give her some MH support as well as keeping her safe. This was early hours of the morning.