[lucyjoy]

I took in a 16 year old who was a great kid to have around. He did leave home 3 months shy of graduating with no warning and I did not hear from him for 2 years. He did call 2 summers ago in the middle of a major hallucination/breakdown cause he knew I would help him. His abuse as a child was horrific and he was old enough to have vivid memories of it. I do not believe he has or will attach to anyone. But, he was a nice kid, helped out around the house, treated people well, and loved to talk. I don't regret taking him in.

As for the sexual abuse, I wouldn't say it's common. The problem is the not knowing until it's too late, so there is a risk. If your current child is non verbal or unable to tell you or understand abuse, I'd recommend putting safety precautions in place just to be safe.