I am tired of all of their crape

[Guest]

I am currently 16 years old I have exactly 93 days untill I turn 17 and I am ready to move out. I do not want to move out simply because me and my parents do not get along. That may be one of the underlying factors but that is not my main reason. My parents are frequent drunks. My father usually passes out cold in our living room. Both of my parents frink each and every night. On the weekends they begin drinking around 11 or 12 and continute to drink threw the afternoon and late into the night. I am not saying that my parents have ever beet me physically but they are very emotionally abusive. They are frequently yelling at me for things that I simply have no control over. Such as when they mess up at work or when someone at work that is under them messes up. They continue to yell and put me down to no end. They call me things that I do not see as right as some thing you should call your children. I am deeply concerned because it has been this way sense I was much littler than I am now. I feel as I am going to snap. I have been know to "cut" or injure myself before though I have stopped. I am just worried as to what I will do to myself if I do break. I am an A B student in High School I have every intention of finishing out high school and continuing onto college. I do currently have a boyfriend but I do not plan to move in with him. I am only wondering if I can move out when I turn 17? I am also wondering if I do move out when I turn 17 will the people I move in with get into legal trouble.

[ccsmod8]

Re: I am tired of all of their crape

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us at the National Runaway Switchboard with your situation at this time and we appreciate you being upfront and honest about life at home and how you are feeling about it all. It is obvious in your urgency to leave home by the fact that you are counting down the days towards your seventeenth birthday and it gives us some insight into how serious you are about getting out and starting anew. It sounds like you are dealing with some very serious emotional lows at this point. Although we are not in a position to define abuse, once you state that you are emotionally abused; it is something we start taking seriously, especially when it involves you reaching the point of breaking. Your safety is our concern and we want to be there for you, if you were to reach out in person and contact us at our 1800RUNAWAY number to talk about your situation with a lived liner. We hope that by calling, you are able to vent how ever long you choose and to get you the sort of help you need.

As mandated reporters, we can file a report on your behalf with Child Protective Services, if you feel like home is not safe for you. Although we are confidential, once you offer us names, numbers and addresses of those abusing you, we are no longer confidential but we still want to help you figure out a plan for survival before you decide to leave home. In terms of leaving home before your eighteenth birthday, most states makes it difficult for minors to leave home without parental permission, unless it makes for minors to benefit in some cases before their eighteenth birthday. In some cases, you are left alone if the police happens to come looking for you in some states, depending on the county. When you are 17, some officers tend to feel since you are close to 18, why bother returning you home. However, it depends on the state you are in and what your parents intend on doing if you took off. Parents are expected to file runaway reports if you leave home without permission and although it is not a crime to run away, you have to be careful where you stay and who you stay with, since these people can be charged with harboring a runaway. This doesn't mean that if the cops show up that they are going to arrest people left and right because sometimes it is left up to the parents to file charges but you can never be for sure unless you contact your local police to inquire about their own policies and how they act in these situations. Just be warned that the consequences can be severe for people harboring a runaway although runaways often are expected to be returned home by the police when they are found.

We commend you for giving some thought to your situation and being real about why you do not want to leave but why you have to leave or else. To us living at home demands that either parents create a predictable and safe environment or children are going to suffer from lack of consistency. It sounds like you have had your share of suffering and you do not deserve it. Have you thought about sitting down with your parents or finding other ways to communicate with them about what they are doing? It is not fair that they label you or blame you for things that has nothing to do with you. Do you think family therapy or individual counseling can benefit you and your family? Sometimes, you are able to learn ways to communicate better and it has proven to work if all parties involved willingly take part in the process. In the mean time, are you able to find time away from home to balance it out with other events you enjoy? How are you coping with it all and what can be done to change things? Furthermore, what can we do to help? We are here for you 24 hours a day in case you need resources or referrals to get ahead and to put these issues behind you.As stated earlier, we are confidential and we never judge you. We certainly empathize with your situation and respect your ability to stay resilient and strong during these turbulent times. You deserve props for trying your best to keep up your grades because these situations can change how you feel about your own duties and responsibilities. Please continue to be strong and know that you are not alone. We want to hear from you but most of all, we care for you and want to see you grow and head in the direction you rightfully deserve. Until we hear from you, try to stay strong and hang in there.

-NRS