Q: I have a friend, 18 years old, who is in her second year of college. She was born in the USA, but her parents are from the middle east. Her parents are very overbearing. She is not allowed to go out alone or talk to boys at all and must always have her paren't premission to go out with friends, talk on the phone, or do pretty much anything. She must come home right after school and is not allowed to have a social life.
As a girl, her paren't feel that she must be protected and are constantly nagging her and guilt tripping her. She gets no privacy as they are constantly in her room and looking over her shoulder and critisizing her while she is doing homework. This is affecting her grades dramaticaly and drains her of joy and energy.
Because of the culture, her father would consider it offensive for her to even suggest that he is doing something wrong and her mom is constantly worrying about my friend's safety. My friend's mom also tells me that she misses her daughter when she is away and does not want her leaving for long periods at a time (like a couple of hours).
What advice can I give my friend and how can I help her break free from her controlling parents while still maintaining a relationship with them?
