This is probably a somewhat controversial post. I am writing it because I am actually in shock regarding what a friend recently talked to me about. Before I get into that, I'll touch lightly on a personal experience I had regarding abuse due to RPGs I have seen.
Many of us had friends go through it.
I don't know how else to help my friend and what else to tell him. I simply can't believe that type of evil would exist towards a kid just because they wanted to play a game, especially someone that I have known for years (at this point). I also don't know what else to tell him. I am just shaken trying to comprehend how his parents could have done that to him and how no one else really blinked an eye, or brought up to him over all these years that what happened to him was wrong, it was abusive, and that it is okay for him to be upset that someone did that to him.
It existed. It was, and in some places, still is, accepted behavior.
My buddy from high school, D.C., was abused to begin with. RPGs were an escape from the horribly psychologically abusive mother. When she found out, she went sideways. After high school, she used a particular cult, forced him into a marriage he never wanted. He was far from the worst.
Another, J.B.B., was threatened with physical abuse by her step father; she was 19. My gaming group moved her out of his house. he hurled verbal abuse at all of us, especially since the cops he called held him at gun point. After he threatened physical violence, he was cuffed and stuffed. Judge let him out 3 hours later. that was 1990.
Another, C, his dad, a GD-LTH marine, complained C wasn't even playing the "Manly ones"... C was playing Robotech with D.C. and a mutual friend. His dad respected D&D, but not SciFi of any sort.
That was the 90's. In 2010, a student complained about his Palladium Books being burned by their parents. Complaint passed to the principal, who passed it on to DFYS.
Another student complained about being whipped with a belt for playing D&D, about 2004. Complaint passed to principal. I have no further information.
Early 80's... A.G. wasn't allowed to have the books, but his mom didn't mind him playing. Just didn't want the art anywhere near her kids by her then-current husband. (not AG's father.)