My cousin recently had something bad happen. Her mother went on a rage and started abusing her. She hit her in the stomach 3 times and gave her a black eye. Her moms always been verbally abusive to her but now its turned to physical. Her mom will not let her move out and she won't be 18 until April. She doesn't know if she needs to take legal action or not. If something goes wrong they will just send her back with her mother. Please give me some advice that I can carry on to her.

Thank you

She needs to go to her local children's services agency and report this as child abuse. They will investigate and remove her to a foster home so she can finish school and go on her own at 18.