Would you take in a friend or relative who’s life was being threatened in their hometown?

[Anonymous]

Or would you be afraid that it would bring trouble to your doorstep and endanger your family/yourself?

[Anonymous]

That would really depend on the full story, not the single sentence offered here.

[Anonymous]

From how far away? They’d have to maintain a very low profile and ideally would be barred from phone use at my place and telling people where they are (good luck enforcing that).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or would you be afraid that it would bring trouble to your doorstep and endanger your family/yourself?

yes

Friend needs to work with police to find protection and the neutralize the threat (maybe the threatening person should be in jail? did they commit a crime? is your friend afraid to report domestic violence or other crimes to the police? Is your friend holding on to a sliver of hope that person may change?)

[Anonymous]

It would entirely depend on the reason. I wouldn’t abet wrongdoing.

[Anonymous]

It would partly depend on whether I had children in my house.

[Anonymous]

A relative, maybe. Not a friend.

[Anonymous]

If they're in a gang - no.

Domestic violence victim - yes.

[Anonymous]

We HAVE taken in friends in abusive situations, and while it's been stressful, it's been helpful to the victim and we feel good about it.

[Anonymous]

I would be too nervous about danger to my family / young kids. That said, I would really struggle with the decision to say no if it was a very close family member (sibling or parent). Anyone else, I wouldn’t even consider it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they're in a gang - no.

Domestic violence victim - yes.

A friend of mine took in a domestic violence victim and her kids. Invested a lot to get them situated. Clothes, beds/furniture etc and she left in less than 2 months and got back with the abuser

[Anonymous]

Feel same as pp. My step-BIL got in an argument and had a light beating with a gang member after gang member’s kid threatened his daughter after she broke up w his daughter. They came to stay with my dad in next town over and people kept cruising by the house. We were terrified and upset that they’d moved in. Fortunately it turned out to just be intimidation, but I have no doubt it could have been much, much worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they're in a gang - no.

Domestic violence victim - yes.

A friend of mine took in a domestic violence victim and her kids. Invested a lot to get them situated. Clothes, beds/furniture etc and she left in less than 2 months and got back with the abuser

That is unfortunate but at least it didn't endanger the family that took her in. I worked in the social services industry and saw many cases where women took back an abuser and it was just horrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or would you be afraid that it would bring trouble to your doorstep and endanger your family/yourself?

Is this a hypothetical situation, OP?

Or is this something someone is asking of you?

If it's real life, it would really be helpful to add some context, otherwise you're not really gonna get your question answered honestly.

[Anonymous]

Depends…

Especially since I have young kids, I would not do this unless I knew that we’d be safe.
If it were my or my spouse’s parent, sibling, nephew/niece I would do my best to take them in but again not if it could endanger my kids in any way.

If it were another more distant family member or a friend, probably not.