Nightline
Call #5
"Hello, my nam--"
"I need to speak to Chelsea. No one but Chelsea."
...
"Phil? Is that you?"
"Yeah."
"I was worried about you. You haven't called in two weeks."
"Mum came home. I-I couldn't use my phone. I'm not allowed to close my door. Dad's not been home and I'm scared for him. She keeps saying I'm never going to see him again."
"Is he still arrested?"
"That's what she said."
"Has anything else happened in the two weeks?"
"I haven't been to school."
"Why's that, Phil?"
...
"Do you not want to talk about it?"
"She didn't want anyone to see my face."
"What was wrong with your face?"
"She said she was sorry."
"Did she hit you, Phil?"
"She remembered. Every mention of the word, she's remembered."
"How do you know that?"
"I just do."
"Is that how many times she hit you?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Do you think you're in danger?"
"No."
"When can you go back to school?"
"I don't know. Mum won't say. She's out all the time and I don't want to say anything to her."
"Did you know it's against the law for her to stop you going to school?"
"She said I had flu and phones every three days to tell them that I can't come in."
"Is your mum home right now?"
"No, well, I don't think so. I heard her go out and haven't heard her come in."
"Do you know why she's gone out?"
"No."
"Okay, Phil? Do you think now's the time to involve others?"
"I can't! N-no one will believe me!"
"Is that what your mum told you?"
"I'm bigger than her so no one'll believe me. They'll think I'm lying or worse."
"That's not true. If you asked for help they won't turn you away because you're bigger than her. I want you to know that there are people out there who will help you. You've just got to reach out to them, just like you did to me. Can you do that?"
"I don't know..."
"Can you try, just once?"
"I don't--she's back! I have to go."
"Wait! I want you to call next week, okay? Can you do that for me, Phil?"
"Okay, okay, I will."
"Same time, okay?"
"Okay. I have to go now."
"I need to speak to Chelsea. No one but Chelsea."
...
"Phil? Is that you?"
"Yeah."
"I was worried about you. You haven't called in two weeks."
"Mum came home. I-I couldn't use my phone. I'm not allowed to close my door. Dad's not been home and I'm scared for him. She keeps saying I'm never going to see him again."
"Is he still arrested?"
"That's what she said."
"Has anything else happened in the two weeks?"
"I haven't been to school."
"Why's that, Phil?"
...
"Do you not want to talk about it?"
"She didn't want anyone to see my face."
"What was wrong with your face?"
"She said she was sorry."
"Did she hit you, Phil?"
"She remembered. Every mention of the word, she's remembered."
"How do you know that?"
"I just do."
"Is that how many times she hit you?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Do you think you're in danger?"
"No."
"When can you go back to school?"
"I don't know. Mum won't say. She's out all the time and I don't want to say anything to her."
"Did you know it's against the law for her to stop you going to school?"
"She said I had flu and phones every three days to tell them that I can't come in."
"Is your mum home right now?"
"No, well, I don't think so. I heard her go out and haven't heard her come in."
"Do you know why she's gone out?"
"No."
"Okay, Phil? Do you think now's the time to involve others?"
"I can't! N-no one will believe me!"
"Is that what your mum told you?"
"I'm bigger than her so no one'll believe me. They'll think I'm lying or worse."
"That's not true. If you asked for help they won't turn you away because you're bigger than her. I want you to know that there are people out there who will help you. You've just got to reach out to them, just like you did to me. Can you do that?"
"I don't know..."
"Can you try, just once?"
"I don't--she's back! I have to go."
"Wait! I want you to call next week, okay? Can you do that for me, Phil?"
"Okay, okay, I will."
"Same time, okay?"
"Okay. I have to go now."