Amy Dickinson, syndicated advice columnist of "Ask Amy" fame, advised a reader in her December 2, 2010 column to pursue a relationship with the parents that had physically and emotionally abused her while she was growing up.

Although the advice-seeker — who wrote to Amy using the pseudonym "Worried Daughter" — escaped the abusive home when she was 18, she was worried that her mother is trying to manipulate her once more. Amy advises that her "burden now is to continue to grow up" and to "leave the door open to a relationship" with her abusive family. Amy's reasoning is that Worried Daughter is "too young" to close the door on her parents, even if they also happen to be her abusers.

Meanwhile, "Worried Daughter" is told to be careful of the fiancé the advice-seeker describes as fully supportive, and, of course, not the one with a history of abusing her — the fiancé her abusive parents are already trying to get rid of because they blame him for helping Worried Daughter escape a toxic home situation.

Young women — all women, really — need to know that violence against is never their fault and that they should not stand for it. Shared DNA is not an excuse. Tell Amy and her bosses at the Chicago Tribune — the newspaper that syndicates her column — that her advice is dangerous and needs to be retracted. There is no minimum age to know that abuse should not be tolerated. 

Photo credit: Infrogmation