
When is it OK to cut off your parents and go 'no contact'?
Have you ever considered cutting a family member off? It's called going "no contact" and social media is filled with stories from people who've done just that. But how do you know you're making the right choice? And can fractured relationships be saved?
Guest: Bec Cushway, producer on Radio National's God Forbid program.
------
If you want to find out more about what it means to go 'no contact' or 'low contact' with family, read this ABC article, or listen to the God Forbid episode exploring the ethics of it all.
If you're into complicated family dynamics, you might like our episode on why people are starting a family with sperm from a Facebook group.
If you liked this episode, let us know at quick.smart@abc.net.au
Family and domestic violence support services:
1800 RESPECT national helpline: 1800 737 732
Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491
Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
Relationships Australia: 1300 364 277
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

ABC News
35 minutes ago
- ABC News
Failed senate candidate Raina Cruise has suspended sentence overturned for Adelaide CBD assault
An anti-vaccine protester who assaulted a pregnant police officer and two security guards in October 2021, has been taken into custody after her suspended sentence was overturned on appeal. Raina Cruise, 42, was jailed on Monday after the South Australia's Court of Appeal found there was good reason to set aside the three-year suspended sentence and good behaviour bond handed to her in December last year. Instead, it ordered her to serve an immediate term of imprisonment for three years, nine months and two weeks. She will be eligible to apply for parole in two years. Upon hearing the new sentence, Cruise asked to say goodbye to her family, but was told she could not leave the dock. "See ya darling, keep the plants watered and the dog. Love you," she said to her daughter. Cruise previously pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault and was found guilty of intentionally causing harm to Constable Anthea Beck. The court preciously heard Cruise became aggressive to security guards at a Rundle Street hotel as the two men she was with were ejected from the venue. Cruise and the two men left the venue and were stopped by Constable Beck and another officer who were investigating the assault of the security guards. "During this conversation, a sudden violent altercation ensued between you and Constable Beck, which ultimately led to you grabbing her and dragging her to the ground," Judge Joanne Deuter said. Constable Beck suffered multiple injuries during the altercation, including two patches of her hair being torn from her scalp. In a victim impact statement previously delivered to the court, Constable Beck revealed she had been pregnant at the time of the assault. "When you kicked me, you kicked my baby," she said. There were widespread demands for legislation changes following her initial sentence last year, with the government saying it would consider them. "I think many in the community will be very supportive of the decision to appeal the sentence that was handed down. That appeal will be heard early next year," Attorney-General Kyam Maher said. Outside court on Monday, defence lawyer Nick Vadasz, for Cruise, said his client was shocked by today's outcome.

ABC News
35 minutes ago
- ABC News
Prisoner Michael Rennie at large after fleeing Lotus Glen prison farm on red tractor
A prisoner remains at large after absconding from a prison farm in rural Queensland aboard a stolen tractor. Police believe Michael Graeme Rennie, 43, left Lotus Glen Low Custody Correctional Centre, about 100 kilometres west of Cairns, during a 90-minute window on Sunday. Rennie, serving a sentence of more than six years and three months for serious assault, theft, burglary, drugs, weapons and driving offences, was last seen at 10:20am on Sunday. At the time he was working at the prison farm driving a red Massey Ferguson tractor. By midday, when a head count was conducted, Rennie was gone, police said. "There have obviously been prisoners abscond from the correctional centre there in the past but I don't think anyone has left on a tractor before, " Detective Inspector Jason Chetham said. "We certainly think he's likely to have left on it. "We don't have specific concerns about what he might do in the community, not targeting anyone, but we certainly ask people not to approach him and to call us immediately if they have any information." Detective Inspector Chetham said there had been "a number of sightings" of the tractor "but nothing is confirmed at this point in time". Rennie was from far north Queensland and "doesn't have far to go to get to family", Detective Inspector Chetham said. "We're looking at all his antecedents and who he might be keen to contact or attempt to contact," he said. The Lotus Glen prison farm is part of a correctional centre located between the agricultural service towns of Mareeba and Atherton. The low security facility is one of six prison farms in Queensland and accommodates 134 prisoners. Prisoners undertake training programs at the farm to develop skills to help them find work once they are released. Detective Inspector Chetham said he did not know the tractor's maximum speed but said it would not "turn a lot of heads" if seen on the road in the Atherton Tablelands. Detective Inspector Chetham said police could call in its air wing to help find Rennie, although he declined to go into specifics of the search. He also declined to comment on security arrangements and prisoner classification at the prison farm. "They're not familiar to me and I'm not part of that department so that's probably a question for Corrective Services to answer," Detective Inspector Chetham said. Queensland Corrective Services has been contacted for comment. In February 2023, a 28-year-old man serving a two-year sentence absconded from the Lotus Glen prison farm. He was arrested more than three days later. There were also previous instances of prisoners escaping in 2020 and 2022.

News.com.au
41 minutes ago
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Collingwood's Beau McCreery on his form and evolution as a pressure forward
It's starting to click for Collingwood pressure machine Beau McCreery. The premiership forward is in a patch of brilliant form and one of the unheralded weapons keeping the Magpies two points clear on top of the AFL ladder. McCreery says his elevation is off the back of gaining a greater understanding of his own game and his role is more complex than hitting the scoreboard. 'It's my fifth year and I've only started to figure out I don't need to kick goals to be happy with how I go,' McCreery told NewsWire. 'It doesn't have anything to do with me kicking any goals, it's just putting that pressure on. I feel like when I am at my best my pressure is there. 'People get nervous when us boys are hunting, especially us small forwards. 'If you've got me, Bobby (Hill), Shooter (Lachie Schultz), Jamie (Elliott) chasing, even Timmy (Membrey), Checkers (Brody Mihocek) – people get nervous.' McCreery is modest in his self-assessment, grading his first half of the year as 'up and down'. But the 24-year-old is recording greater numbers in almost every statistic important to a player in his position. McCreery's clearance numbers are included in that growth, which bodes well in his pursuit of becoming a more regular option in the middle for coach Craig McRae. 'When I get that midfield time I feel like I've been beasting in there,' he said. 'If I can keep getting some of that time in the mid, keep exposing myself to mid time, but I still do love playing forward. 'I love the craft of it, I love my group I am down there with, it's so enjoyable – playing for this team is just so enjoyable.' McCreery pinch hit in the middle during Friday night's dismantling of Hawthorn at the MCG. The 88-gamer is learning how challenging a transition up the ground will be but knows what he needs to do to earn more opportunity. 'Keep showing up, keep training well and when they do give me an opportunity … I figured out pretty quickly it's pretty tough in there,' he said. 'I need to take my chances when I go in there … use my speed, catch people off guard. I don't think people think I can close down space as quick as I can.'