In class, Daniel kept standing up and sitting down, and at first I thought he was just acting out. But when I asked him why, he whispered, “It hurts to sit.” Lifting his shirt, he revealed bruises — the result of abuse from his stepfather.
I contacted the school psychologist, and we reported it right away. Authorities later confirmed the abuse, finding that even his mother lived in fear.
That day, I realized how often violence hides in plain sight — unnoticed until someone dares to ask.