I have reason why I want to run away...I'm going to run away...

[Unregistered]

Hi,

I'm a teen girl who is scared...I want to run away because of my family...My sister and I always fight and she always say she hates me and she wishes I died...My mom found out that I bi-sexual and she hates me for it...She always talking about God hates me and everything...My mom and dad argue all the time. Sometimes they will hit each other...My mom just had a baby and I'm even more scared...If I run away. My sister will never see me... I get bullied at school too...I can't handled my problems...I want to run away. But, I don't want to be with a relative...they might take me back home. My parents never will listen to my feelings...I got abused one time by my dad. He hit my all over my body...I was hurt...It was my sister fault but, My dad said "Since your the oldest, It's your fault", I always hated my dad and my mom... I thought about committing suicide...I cut myself. And try to drown myself many times...I had only one friend that listen to me...We both want to run away...but, we can't...we are both far away from each other...

I want to run away this summer...or maybe earlier than that...

I have so many thoughts about run away:
How am I going to survive
How am I going to eat
Is it Dangerous
How am I going to learn from school
and so on...

I have a phone...but, If I take it with me...don't you think they will track me down..

[ccsmod3]

I have reason why I want to run away...I'm going to run away...

Hello there,

It sounds like you’re going through a lot right now and we’re glad you decided to reach out. We’re very sorry to hear that you feel your mom hates you after finding out you are bisexual. We imagine that has been difficult to handle. For the record, we do not judge here no matter if you identify as LGBTQ and there is support out there. One resource you might find helpful is the Trevor Project which is a support network as well as a Suicide Prevention resource for young people who identify as LGBTQ.
http://www.thetrevorproject.org/ 1-866-488-7386
You also mentioned your dad abused you one time and we want you to know that you do not deserve to be abused. You have the right to be safe at home and if at any point you want to try and file a child abuse report, we can help you with that process.

You raise a lot of great questions as far as how you might do certain things if you ran away. We cannot tell you what decision you should make, but we can discuss different options with you. To continue discussing your situation, we encourage you to call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Or, you can try out our Live Chat program from 4:30 to 11:30pm CST. Simply click on the red “Live Chat” button on our homepage. Best of luck and stay safe!

-NRS

[Unregistered]

Running away

I'm gonna run away. I'm 13 and I'm just sick of how my parents treat me. They verbally abuse me but they do it in a way that everyone else thinks they're just kidding. I live in Eagle Idaho. Is there a place nearby that I can go to like a youth shelter or something? Also what is everything I should bring with me? I want to make sure I'm prepared. And please don't tell me I should just stay because I promise you if I stay here I will probably kill myself. My stepdad told me today that if he had to have me live with him for the next five years (until I graduate) his life would be a living hell. Any help is appreciated. I'm leaving today and I'm going today so if nobody answers soon I'll just leave and hope for the best. One more thing, would the Boise Rescue Shelter take in a runaway? And is there any possible way they would let me keep my cat?

[ccsmod15]

Re: runnin away

Hello,

First, we are very sorry you are having such a difficult time at home. You do not deserve to be mistreated or abused in any way – by anyone. We are here to help in whatever way we can. You definitely have options. Here are some things to consider:
You can always file an abuse report on your parents by calling 1-800-552-5437. If you would like us to make a file on your behalf you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

There are a few shelters in your county or surrounding counties you can talk to. Here are a couple: Idaho Youth Ranch (208 ) 322-2308, and Bannock YouthFoundation (208 ) 234-1122. If you give us a call we might be able to call these shelters on your behalf.

We are especially concerned about your thoughts about harming yourself. We hope you are now and will be safe going forward – that’s our top priority. Please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) if you ever think about harming yourself. Or give us a call. We care and are here to help!

Whether or not you do decide to leave home, it's probably a good idea to have some identification on you as well as a list of important numbers that you can call if you need to, things like the numbers we've just given you as well as your home phone number, relative and friend's numbers and so forth.

You also asked about whether the Boise Rescue Shelter would take you. We couldn't find that exact name through Google, but we did find the Boise Rescue Mission Ministries (208-343-2389) and Boise Rescue Mission (208-389-9840). Maybe you can call and ask them? Or, call us and we can call on your behalf. We're not sure if they would take your cat.

Remember, we are totally confidential and here for you. We can talk about what you’re going through and what your next best steps might be and what running away might be like. We also have a database of resources of other shelters and professionals that you can talk to about what you’re going through.Again, our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). See below for more details about contacting us through our Chat Line.

Good luck and stay safe!

NRS

[ccsmod15]

Re: runnin away

Hey, just so you know we did edit our first response to you, so you might want to check that again. We noticed we didn't answer a couple of questions in our first response so we added to it. Again, good luck! We hope to hear from you!

[Unregistered]

Runaway

I'm a 14 year old girl and thinking of running away in the next few minutes or days. I just got in a fight with my grandma and I have so many jobs to do I have done my own laundry since I was 5 and I have been cooking since 11 and cleaning since I was 9 my mother doesn't help at all and she favors the other children. My father works all day and all week so he can't do anything about it. I have a sister that is 13 a brother that is 10 with adhd and anger issues and another brother who is almost 2. I hate going to school my "friends" are always splitting up I feel like the middle man im not very good at school and I'm very small for my age but fairly mature. I just hate my life I can't find the streangth to end it all and I have fought the urge to run until now. I want it to stop. I want to stop the fighting and the pain.

[Guest]

I'm done with this bull********
Im16 and for the record I have a wonderful family that has never mistreated me. My mother is loving and my dad is a great mentor I don't have any mental issues but this problem I have with my life has nothing to do with my family and everything to do with me. I live in the suburbs of D.C. all ever see are town houses, every day I go to school and I'm beginning to feel like a robot I'm doing the same ******** day after day after day. I am also very Lonly I have never had much luck with girls but the twisted part is they all think I'm cute but somthing always goes wrong somewhere along the lines I think it might be because of my reputation of being a little bit goofy at times I hate that I have that. But the main reason is that I'm just bored with my life and I want to start fresh. I want to run away and eventually join the military I know I need a high school diploma but I figured I could buy some new identity and Id of the black market. I currently own a Ford Mustang I bought it myself with my own money I can use it to runaway and then sell it for cash. I just want freedom from this bull******** routine i have done my whole life I want to meet a woman and go on an adventure before I meet my potential demise in the military. my whole life I have wanted to give my life for my country and I would like to live a little before I do. I really think I'm going to do it and my one question is it possible and if so how?

[Guest]

I want to go live my ain't and her kids cuz there is a lot of fighting going on at my house and plus I'm bout to be 18 in like 38 days can I go stay with her for a while till things get figured out

[ccsmod16]

Thank you for reaching out!

We are not legal experts, but generally speaking the laws of running away vary from state to state. Generally what typically happens in each state is if you are below the legal age of majority (18 in most states except Alabama and Nebraska [19 or upon marriage], and Mississippi [21]), your parents or legal guardian would be able to make a runaway report if you leave home without their permission. A runaway report is a status offense, so if a report is filed it’s not a misdemeanor or felony or anything that would go on your record. The only thing that would happen is that the police would tell you to go and/or bring you back home. This is of course if you had any interaction with the police directly or if they stopped you to ask you a few questions.

You might be able to get permission to live with another family (i.e your aunt), but without getting an official document from the court your parents would still be legally responsible for you. Which means that they can also take away that permission at any given moment and take you back home to live with them once again. So that can be an option for you if you feel like your parents might respond well to you living someplace else. Perhaps talking to your aunt about your wishes to come live with her is a good idea so that you can plan together how it would work and possibly ways to talk to your parents about the plan together.

Hopefully this helps. If not, please feel free to continue the conversation either via this post, email, chat or phone.

[Guest]

My parents are homophobic and i'm gay a. I don't feel safe here and my dad likes to hit me when he's angry. My mom isn't any better and i've talked to her about the proven negative affects off physical punishment and she still hits me. My sister isn't helpful at all and tell me i deserve it so i'm probably gonna leave soon.

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. We hope that our response will be helpful and we want you to know that you’re not alone in this.
From what your post mentioned, it sounds like your family are very abusive, abuse is never okay. Your parents are completely wrong for hitting you and you never deserve that kind of treatment, regardless of what your sister tells you. You definitely deserve to be respected and accepted at home. If you ever want to report the abuse, we can help you make a child abuse report. There’s also Child Help, that’s the national child abuse hotline (800) 422-4453.

You’re so brave for going through what you’ve been through, and it’s very much understandable that you’d want to get out of that environment. If you ever need support from the LGBT community, there is the LGBT National Hotline (88 843-4564. They also have a website, they have chatting services where you can join a chat group with peers or talk to a volunteer. You also said that you’re going to be running away soon.

You have every right to leave and running away is not something you can be arrested for as a minor. If you leave and your parents make a runaway report with the police, it just alerts them to be on the lookout. If they come across you, they will most likely take you home.
If you explain to them your home situation, and that you’re being abused, they most likely won’t return you home right away. We have a database of youth/runaway shelters, if you needed some place to go after running away. We can definitely help find you one, but we’re only able to give out shelter resources over the phone or chat.

Again, we’re always here to help. Our safeline is open 24/7 and we also have online chatting services on our website. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us again.

Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

I'm 13, in Michigan. My father was abusive to my brother before he moved out, and he's starting to act the same way towards me. I'm thinking of running away tonight or tomorrow, though I'm not exactly sure where to go once I do. I would go to my friends house but I don't want her to get in trouble and the rest of my family that is close enough hates me. My mother doesn't even care, she just says that I'm a waste of time and her money. I tried to kill myself a few times but since it never works I'm going to run instead.
im not really sure where to go, what to bring, or what I'm going to do for school though, so any advice would be appreciated.
thank you.

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline! It was very brave of you to reach out for help, it sounds like you have been going through so much. No one has the right to hurt you and you absolutely have the right to be safe. If you ever feel like you are in danger or your safety is threatened you can always call 911. Have you been able to talk to anyone about what is going on with your father? Sometimes people get advice and find it helpful to talk through difficult situations with someone they trust, for example a teacher, school counselor, coach, close friend, or extended family member. You also can file an abuse report with your local department of child/family services. If you would like more information about or help with abuse reporting you can contact Child Help at (1-800-422-4453).

It sounds like you are trying to do what is best to make sure you are safe. While we are not legal experts, we can talk in general about runaway reporting. Anyone under the age of 18 years old is considered to be a minor which means their parent or legal guardian is legally responsible for them. If a minor leaves home without permission from their guardian, that guardian has the ability to file a runway report with the police. Being reported as a runaway is not a criminal offense and does not go on your permanent record, it is a status offense. If a police officer were to look up someone who has been reported as a runaway in the system there would be a note/indication listing that person as a runaway. Unless someone is already in trouble with the law or on probation/parole, there are no legal consequences for running away. Most of the time police bring runaway youth back to their parents, however exact laws and how they are enforced can vary by location. In addition, some states have laws regarding harboring a runaway that can penalize an adult who provides shelter to a youth whom they know has been reported as a runaway. One way to find out more specific information about the laws in your area is to anonymously contact your local police and ask. You can find the non-emergency phone number for your local police or sheriff by visiting www.usacops.com.

It sounds like you are asking important questions and trying to be responsible so that you can take care of yourself. Often when youth leave home they plan to stay with friends, other family, or at youth homeless shelters. Some shelters provide additional resources such as help with education, job training, and counseling resources. If you find you need an immediate place to stay in an emergency you can contact National Safeplace by texting the word “safe” and your current location to 69866.

It can be very frustrating to not get support from your mother or other family. It sounds like you have been dealing with a lot of stress on your own. Attempting to end your own life is a really scary experience and we are very glad that you are reaching out for help! If you ever feel suicidal or like you may harm yourself you can always call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (1-800-273-8255). We are very glad that you reached out for help tonight and you can also reach us at the National Runaway Safeline 24/7 via our crisis hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or via live chat on our website at www.1800runaway.org

[Guest]

I'm 14 (f) and my parents don't treat me with any level of respect. I have barely any friends, my bff lives 10 hours away, my other one lives near me but goes to another school and i dont even see her. Kids at school have been bullying me since the 1st grade and I can't stand it anymore, I've talked to my guidance counsellor and she did nothing, I've stood up to them but it does nothing, so there isn't anything else to do besides leave it all behind. My parents favor my little 7 year old sister. She always sucks up to them and when they turn their backs she becomes the worst, antagonistic little beast I've ever seen. I can't tell my parents because they tell me to deal with it myself, but when I start yelling at her or pushing her off of me she goes and tells them and they get mad at me. The only being in my home that I care about/love is my cat, I usually pick her up before bed and put her in my room and just start spilling all of my problems to her, but lately my parents have been keeping her in their room, I'm becoming severely depressed, I noticed that I ate maybe at most 400 calories the other day but I wasn't even hungry. I'm slightly over weight and my grandma always reminds me, even when I start to get comfortable in my own skin, either her or my mother pulls that away from me and makes me feel like and ugly hippo. My Aunt is the meanest person to ever exist. She is married into my family. My cousins are 10 and 8 and I care about them like siblings but once she blamed me for a wasp stinging the 8 year old, she started screaming in my face while my grandma watched. That was a few years ago. She has called me a whale numerous times and makes me feel extremely self concious about my weight considering shes extremely skinny. Due to all the body shaming, I've been close to throwing up to lose weight or not eating for days at a time. ( I haven't resorted to it yet but I'm very close) Sometimes I just want to die. I don't want to kill myself though, so I just want to leave. My parents have one of those electric fly swatters and if I don't clean the room top to bottom they will come in and zap me, and I cry. Today my dad heard me and my sis arguing and went on huge rant yelling in my face saying how he will make my life a living hell, and all I could think is what if I dont have a life anymore, or what if I never aw you again. I live in monmouth county New Jersey and I would like to know if there is any runaway shelters near me that is in biking distance, and how to leave ( how to take money from my parents/ clothes/ food). Please let me know ASAP otherwise I'll probably just walk out of here and never be seen again. Oh and BTW i would need a new phone because my parents have a tracker on mine.

[ccsmod7]

Thank you for contacting us at the National Runaway Safeline. It takes a lot of courage to talk about these things and reach out for help and we are glad that you took the steps to reach out to us.

It sounds like you are going through a lot at home right now. It is not ok for any to bully you or body shame you. You deserve to be treated better. We are sorry to hear that seeing your guidance counselor was not helpful. You could checkout https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevent...-it/index.html for helpful resources on bullying. Taking and sharing with someone else like a good friend and family member can be helpful in many situations. It could also be helpful to reach out to the National Eating Disorders Association at (800) 931-2237 to discuss any concerns you have been having revolving around food. If you ever have suicidal thoughts you can always reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255).

It sounds like you have been thinking about running away. While we are not legal experts, generally speaking if you are to leave home without your parents’ consent the police can bring you back home and whoever you are going to stay with could be charged with harboring a runaway. Many shelters are required to contact parents within 24 hours for consent. Also running away can be hard. You might have to think about how to pay for rent, food and other living expenses. This can be complicated. You are not alone we are here to support you through this. If you would call us at our 24 hour confidential hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY(786-2929) we would be happy to just listen to you, explore your options and provide any resources.

You are acting really strong in this difficult situation. We wish you the best and hope to hear from you soon.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

I'm a 14 year old female living in Houston Texas. My reason for wanting to run is because everything was pretty normal in my family until last year. Last year my mom got pregnant and verbally abused me and hit my with my hairbrush when she was upset. At that time I tried to tell my aunt by writing abot the abuse but never said anything. That opened my eyes and now I'm aware of everything around me and everythings clearer to me. The price was that I got severe depression and I now I'm suicidal. My parents fight all the time now about everything little and big. Whenever the fight is overy mom tells me its all my fault that my dads going to leave our house. The only thing that's kinda stopping me is my best friend but if I decide to run away I can't go to a relatives house because my mom keeps on saying lies and spreading rumors about me that my family believes. I've tried talking to my school counselor but they did nothing and said that I should be greatful for my position because not everyone gets a home or parents. I just don't know what I should do anymore.

[ccsmod9]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now. It sounds like you’re fearing that the situation may end in suicide if things don’t change. Your safety and well-being is important. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255); www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org is also a great resource to reach out to in addition to our crisis services. It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now and you mentioned being harmed. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. You may also be able to report any mistreatment to CPS. Child Help USA 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org is an organization that helps protect minors from being harmed. It may also be a good place to explore options for staying with another family member or someone you trust as far as transferring custody
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. This may be an isolating and lonely time for you, but you are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.
If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon. Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe and stay strong,
NRS

[Guest]

I hate mom

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

All the best,
NRS

[Guest]

I don't know where to or who to talk to or whatever but tomorrow im running away. Im done with the pathetic town and this broken home. I can't even look her in the eye without her telling me that I'm a ********** and I'm a bad person. She hates me... I know she does. She is nice in front of everyone but when it me and her she calls me names and is toxic. It's killing me. I don't wanna even be alive anymore. But death is my very last option. I know we're I'm going to go and nobody can really do anything in 19.... I was going to wait till I moved so it would be easier to get to the city but I can no longer wait anymore. I'm just done. I'm sick of her saying "you can come talk to me remember what your therapist said" and when I say mom I'm still feeling depressed cuz hi sever depression isn't gonna go away. She yells at me that I'm drama two days ago I said "mom I'm feeling sad can we talk please" she rolled her eyes and said I'm so dramatic. And when I talk about me being Bi she says I want attention and im not "hip" like wtf does that even mean!! I can't go to my dad because he is emotionally abusive and his side of the family is verbally, emotionally, and sexually abusive to me. So I'm going on my own. I'm happy I can finally get this off my chest before I go so I can think clearly as I travel and if I offended you I'm sorry if I did and if you took time to read this thank you!

[ccsmod5]

Thank you so much for contacting NRS, we know that talking about these issues is never easy, and it was really brave of you to reach out. It sounds like your mom has been invalidating of your emotions and your sexual identity, and that you’ve been feeling really hopeless and alone as a result. Knowing that your dad isn’t there for you, and that his family has been abusive to you, sounds like it would be even more isolating. You don’t deserve to be treated that way.
Your safety and wellbeing is the most important. Even though you described death as your last option, it also sounds like you have been having suicidal feelings. If you would ever like support exploring those feelings, you can reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24 hours a day. You don’t need to struggle with this alone.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
To Write Love on Her Arms is another resource aimed at helping people who are struggling with depression and suicide. If you click on the button that says “Find Help,” you can find a tool that helps you find free or reduced cost counseling – it might be helpful in order to find support wherever you are going next. It also provides a link to a list of 24-hour helplines.
To Write Love on Her Arms
www.twloha.com
It sounds like your current plan is to move away from home. If you’d like to talk about your options with someone, we are always here to talk at 1-800-RUNAWAY. Do you have someone to stay with? If you don’t, or if you don’t feel safe where you are staying, you can look up a local shelter on the Homeless Shelter Directory or our directory. We can also help you locate a transitional living program in your area. We can give more information on specific shelters in your area if you feel comfortable calling us and sharing your location.
Homeless Shelter Directory
https://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/

You described your mom being really dismissive of your gender identity. There are places you can go for support, and to talk to someone who has been through it themselves.
LGBT National Youth Talkline
1-800-246-PRIDE (7743)
http://www.glbtnationalhelpcenter.org/

The Trevor Project
(866) 488-7386
www.TheTrevorProject.org

And finally, you didn’t give a lot of details about being sexually assaulted by your dad’s family, but experiences like that can be really hard to process alone. If you’d like support with that, you could reach out to RAINN, a national sexual assault hotline.
RAINN
1-800-656-4673
Rainn.org

I know this has a lot of information, and might be overwhelming. We want you to have as many resources as possible, but you can also talk about any of these topics or more with us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are confidential, and here 24/7. It sounds like you have been through a lot, and are remaining resilient through some really hard situations. Thank you again for contacting us, and we wish you all the best.