Re: what kind of relationship is my cousin in?

Sure, I understand your concerns as he is your cousin. You want him to have someone that loves him, of course. However, both he and his wife---from what you've written here---are behaving badly. It's not like he's a saint sitting at home being faithful to her while she is out behaving badly. The blame here is to be shared. As I pointed out before, they are 2 consenting adults.

However, if you truly believe that their daughter is being neglected and/or abused (remember---abuse comes in many forms---physical, sexual, emotional and verbal) then you or someone else in the family needs to intervene for the daughter's sake.

Intervention can be in many forms. You can report them to the authorities and let them handle it. If you think that isn't warranted, then become more involved in your little cousin's life. Visit with her often and let her know that you love her and care about her. Getting to know her better will enable you to see the home life situation more clearly.

Whatever you do, don't bad-mouth the parents to the child. Instead model good behavior for her and show a genuine interest in her.

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