I Don't Feel Safe or Loved at Home Anymore

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  • ccsmod4
    Super Moderator
    • May 2007
    • 1655

    #46
    Reply: I'm 13 and I wanna runaway....

    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. You are very brave. 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 and it is not your fault that this is happening.
    It sounds like you would like to go to your grandmother’s house for support. We are glad that you have someone to turn to for help. That being said. 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. 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 us at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) if you are unable to call in you can live chat at www.1800Runaway.org.

    We hope to hear from you soon.

    Be safe,
    NRS

    Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat.

    National Runaway Safeline
    [email protected] (Crisis Email)
    1-800-RUNAWAY (24 Hour Hotline)

    Tell us what you think about your experience!
    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YourOpinionMattersToUs

    Comment


    • #47
      My parents are relentless, they don’t hesitate to tell me how worthless I am, or how “broken” I am, or how stupid I look, etc. They are always telling me how disappointed they are with me and how I don’t do anything good. I don’t understand how they do not see that I’ve gotten a 4.0 gpa throughout all of high school, got a high act score, all while playing football all through high school, and holding 2 jobs since I turned 16. They also don’t see how I’ve applied and gotten accepted into top universities such as Stanford. Anything good I do I get grounded for, got grounded on multiple occasions upon achieving a 4.0 in that quarter, grounded for not being home due to football/jobs, but also got mad at me for quitting my jobs to focus on football for the season, and later grounded me after I got those jobs back after the season ended. I got grounded for learning Swedish (I did that because much of my family comes from Sweden and is fluent, thought it’d be nice), I also got grounded for proving to my parents using physical irrefutable proof that they were contradicting themselves (I can understand that last one). Apparently I’m ungrateful, which isn’t true, my parents give me nothing, I buy my own car, phone, everything, but because they are my parent they still do whatever they want with my property. I even have to buy my own food or else my parents would make me starve. I try to do things to stay out of the house, and I get mercilessly grounded for that, but if I’m home too much I’m grounded for “not getting out in the world.” There is no perfect balance. I’m to the point where they say I’m grounded, and I ask “for what?” And they answer with something that makes no sense, so I explain to them it makes no sense, show them scientific studies or any sort of evidence, then they say “well then, we are just grounding you because we feel like it, and because we are your parents and we can do what we want. I understand punishment for doing bad things, but punishment for doing good just isn’t right. I’m already broke as is and would get grounded for saying I wanna move out, so how in the freaking world do I handle this situation?

      Comment


      • #48
        I’m 13 years old, and I don’t even want to go home anymore. My dad, that ass hole. I have such a deep hate for him. He doesn’t let my mom and I sleep almost every night because of the smallest things. For instance, he was scared of us talking behind his back so he knocks on our door during midnight. When I need to go to school. Even though he knows he still comes he still calls at least 20 times day repeatedly. He throws things around like he has a tantrum. He verbally abuses us and physically. I’ve been feeling insecure my whole life bc of him. He already went to the police station once bc of hurting my mom in public. I don’t ever want to see him again. I really want to stay away from him as far as possible. He doesn’t want a divorce. He’s forcing us to stay together wit him. He’s haunting my mom and me. Threatening us. Telling us to die. Talking about killing us. However he still never leaves. I live with him right now and I am having the hardest times of my life crying nonstop. I don’t know what to do. We don’t have enough money right now to move but we found a place. No one is supporting us and he’s forcing us to stay with him. Please help us.

        Comment

        • ccsmod1
          Super Moderator
          • May 2007
          • 1898

          #49
          Hi there,

          Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help and we want you to know that you deserve to feel safe and happy in your home. One thing you can do is reach out to Child Help at 1-800-422-4453. They can talk you through child abuse reporting and your rights as a minor. You could also get the help of your mom, a counselor at school or another adult to call with you if you're nervous. It can be scary to do because of being afraid of what might happen if you file for abuse, so Child Help could walk you through other options as well. Abuse is never okay and your life is valuable. We are also here 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) if you just need someone to listen. Don't hesitate to reach out to either of us.

          Your mom could also reach out to the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 to get help finding out ways that she could leave her situation. Abuse is never okay no matter the situation.

          Let us know how we can best help.

          NRS
          Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat.

          National Runaway Safeline
          [email protected] (Crisis Email)
          1-800-RUNAWAY (24 Hour Hotline)

          Tell us what you think about your experience!
          https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YourOpinionMattersToUs

          Comment


          • #50
            hi, I’m a 17 year old girl, who like most of these people don’t fell safe at home or school. I don’t get abused but that’s my fear, but abuse isn’t only hitting you. abuse can be in anyways. I feel abuse with feelings. I don’t want to be home. I ran away once but that didn’t turn out good. I don’t know why my mom wants me home when all she makes me do is clean and do everything for them. I felt more safe out them in my own home. I’m so scared of my mom and I wish someone can take me away from here. I want to run away again but I was threatened that they’ll call the police. I’m afraid I’ll get more in trouble. I tried to talk to a “social worker” but she didn’t seem to help she just wrote down what I would say and said “go home” she didn’t seem trustworthy either. Lately all I think about is dying. i don’t want to live anymore. It seems like if I wouldn’t make a difference. my mom doesn’t talk to me or if she does it’s cause she needs me to clean something. please help me I don’t want to be home please I beg you. Maybe I’m just wasting my time looking for help online.

            Comment


            • ccsmod7
              ccsmod7 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hi there, thanks so much for reaching out today. We are really glad you did. Sounds like you are having a really hard time at home and school, and your mom is verbally abusive. You are so right, abuse is not just physical and emotional abuse can be incredibly painful. You do not deserve to abused in anyway, and should be treated with respect. Your life has infinite value and here at NRS we truly want to support you during this difficult time.

              You mentioned that you have been thinking about dying lately and you do not want to live any more. Those feelings are significant, and we want you to know that there are people and resources out there for you. You should not have to go through this alone. If you haven't already, you might let a trusted friend or adult know about you are feeling to get some support. You might also reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY anytime if you would like to talk to someone about how you are feeling. We can also better brainstorm your options for leaving home if you call or chat us. If you are feeling like you are in immediate danger please call 911.

              The easiest way you can leave home at 17 is with your mom's permission. This might be really hard to get, but you might include a trusted adult in on the conversation like another relative or teacher, to help get your point across to your mom if she is not hearing you. You do have the right to report emotional abuse to child protective services (CPS). If CPS investigates and finds the abuse highly dangerous you would be removed from your mom's care. It can be harder for CPS to determine that the abuse is highly dangerous with emotional abuse since they typically have to find proof of the abuse. To learn more about your reporting options you might reach out to the expert child advocates at Child Help 1-800-422-4453.

              Generally the legal age you can leave home without permission is 18. If you do leave home at 17, your mom can attempt to file a runaway report for you with local police and if you are found you would be returned home. It is usually not illegal to runaway, rather it is a status offense or something you cannot to due to your age. You might reach out to your local police's non-emergency number to see if they would take a runaway report for a 17 year old since you are close to 18. Sometimes local police have different protocols for 17 year old runaways since they are so close to being adults.

              Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you ever need. We are here to listen, here to help.

              Best,

              NRS

          • #51
            Hello i am a 15 year old girl i use to live in Arizona with both my parents but i ran away because my dad was abusing me they decided to send me to California and I’ve been here for 8 months now my parents are deciding to come and get me i really don’t wanna go back I’m scared he’ll abuse me again and just in general he’s so mean to me my mother has never abused me but she’s never did anything to help stop it she said if i don’t go with her she’ll call the cops i was wondering if she does come with the cops what will they do? Put me in Forster care? Make me go? Or let me live with my grandma? Who I’m living with right now please help

            Comment


            • ccsmod5
              ccsmod5 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hey,
              Thanks so much for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a scary situation and you definitely don’t deserve to be abused. It’s completely understandable that you’d be worried about returning home with your parents. It’s frustrating that your mother is threatening to call the police. While she does have the right to file a runaway report for you, there are generally no legal consequences for that. The police would simply bring you back home; you would not automatically go to a foster home, generally speaking. One of the options that you might consider is filing an abuse report with child protective services in Arizona; you could also call the local police in California and let them know that you were being abused at home. A good resource you can call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. This hotline can tell you more about what might happen if you do file an abuse report or if you let the police know that there was abuse going on at home. One other option is for your grandmother to file for complete custody of you; if this is an option, she can reach out to a family lawyer or a legal aid clinic. If you need help locating a legal resource, please feel free to give us a call and we can try to find something in your area.
              Thank you again for reaching out. We wish you the best of luck and we hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think . Please feel free to reach out to us at our hotline any time. Our number is 1-800-786-2929.

          • #52
            I’m currently not living with my mom and sisters because she sent me away to live with my uncles because she found out I was doing drugs , I was only doing it tho cause I was depressed and didn’t feel love from her , I don’t want to live with my uncles anymore I’ve been here like 2 months and it’s miserbale my aunt threaten me yesterday that if it comes a time where she needs to hit me that she is going to do it and I told her that she was not going to touch me , Ly cuzin always gets mad at me when I don’t play the music he likes Nd my other cuzin always try’s to tell me what to do and stuff , I don’t feel safe or lover here at my uncles house I want to go back home with my sisters and mom but my mom dosent want to take me back and wants me to stay here till I’m 18 but my older sister that’s 19 wants to come get me but can’t cause my mother doesn’t let her and says she will put a restriction order on her , idk what to do I don’t want to be here anymore tho what should I do ?

            Comment


            • ccsmod7
              ccsmod7 commented
              Editing a comment
              Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are going through a really difficult time right now. You deserve to feel safe and loved where you are living.

              It sounds like you are trying to get your mom to let you move back in with her and your sister is onboard with that plan. Have you tried sitting down with your mom and sister in the same room to talk to them about how you’re feeling? Are there any adults in your life, outside of the ones you mentioned, that you could ask for help in talking to your mom? Sometimes it’s helpful to have an adult outside of the situation present to help facilitate the conversation to make it as productive as possible. That can be a teacher or a coach or a different family member.

              You definitely don’t deserve to be hit by your aunt in any situation. If your home life is to turn violent, please know that it would be completely valid for you to report that abuse. You can do that by contacting the police, the National Child Abuse Hotline (Child Help) at 1-800-422-4453, or by calling us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We can help you make an abuse report.

              Thank you for reaching out. We know that it takes courage to ask for help and we admire you for doing it. If you want to discuss anything further, please feel free to call us anytime. We are here 24/7 to help you work through anything you’re experiencing.

              We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think.

              Best,

              NRS

          • #53
            Lately, my parents have been making me feel like crap about my self, they haven't helped me with feeling depressed. They told me I cant talk to my boyfriend any more. For almost a year he has been my support system. my parents tell me to get tougher and get over what is being told. Just today my brother kept yelling at me for being stupid for being who I am basically. he told me if I'm going to kill myself to go to the mountains and shoot my brains out. I wanted to try to kill myself but I was stopped by my boyfriend and now that I cant talk to him only through snail mail I've been more depressed than normal. my parents haven't helped with anything they say you'll get over it. I haven't been feeling the love I use to I fear that soon one of my parents will take it to the physical level. the emotional abuse has gotten to the point where I'm numb to it I feel sadness. I told them I've given up on myself and on everything it gets harder for me to do anything and they will tell me to just ignore it you can get past it. I've pushed my family away because I've been the target of everything. They have made me feel like crap about who I am and what I do. When I try to ask for help on something that is huge like bullying they say you'll figure it out on your own and you don't need help. I've told them about almost killing my self all they did was ok. I'm so scared that my parents or my brother will get to the physical side of abuse. I'm not feeling safe at all. My brother today also grabbed me to get me out of my room and started to insult me and who I date. I tried to walk away it didn't work he would grab my arm again and pull me back to the living room. A while ago my other brother left marks on my neck after I told him to let go he would let go I was against the door and I couldnt unlock my door.My mother will insult the way I dress or look. my dad will side with my mom all the time he has yelled in my face. I feard that he was going to hurt me then and their. I'm a 17-year-old female.

            Comment


            • ccsmod3
              ccsmod3 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hi there, Thanks for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline and sharing a little bit about what is going. It takes a lot of courage to reach out and especially in a time where you have a really tough and complex situation. We are sorry you are experiencing abuse from many different people in your family, no one ever deserves to go through that. You do have the right to report the abuse to Child Help at 1-800-422-4453. You can either do it your self or call into us directly and we can support you through it. It I hard to say the result of reporting , but if you call in you can ask what the process might look like. If you ever are in immediate danger and are in fear due to the abuse that may happen, know that you can reach out to 911.

              It sounds like you have a positive relationship with your boyfriend and are somewhat still connected through the snail mail you send to eachother. With considerating your current situation, I would encourgage you to still seek help is reaching out to a friend, teacher, or counselor at school that can help you look for resources that may be more helpful. Your mental health is important and should be taken seriously. You can also look at SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) at samhsa.gov or call them directly at 1-877-726-4727 to help you find the support that you need. If you do ever feel in direct danger, to yourself, or some else makes you feel that way, please call out to 911 or reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)

              It can be difficult to know how to talk to your parents and express your feeling about how you are feeling. We would encourage you to reach out to a trusted adult, teacher, relative, and friend that you can talk to and potentially help you mediate a conversation with your parents about your current situation. At NRS, we do offer a service call conference calling, where you can call into our hotline and then we would reach out to your guardian and help advocate for you, help you express the needs of to your parents.

              We are here for you and will support you in anyway that we can. Please feel free to call into us directly as we can talk further about your situation and find resources that are best for you in your are. Stay strong and you are not alone in this! Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY we are open 24/7.

              We hope this response was helpful! We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey.

              Stay strong!

              -NRS

              Tell us what you think about your experience!
              Last edited by ccsmod3; 03-03-2018, 08:49 PM.

          • #54
            I wanna KILL myself but I don’t think my family notices it .its not their fault ,I’m always smiling but part of the reason I wanna kill myself is because of them . EXEPT my dad I really live my dad I feel like he is the only one that cares about my happiness .My mom just cares about my brother .In my house we have a problem with the kids lying. I only have one brother and I hate him I REALLY just want to kill him ,he just lies and lies and lies but never gets in trouble but when I lie I ALWAYS get in trouble I’m only 13 and some days I try to convince myself that if I stay I will have a better life ahead of me But it’s hard when my dad isn’t always at work and I’m with my mom and brother because my brother always lies about doing his homework and when my mom comes and ask him what he’s doing he always say homework BUT she never listens when I tell her that he’s not Doing homework . HE lies and nobody does anything .And when we start arguing about what he’s really doing Even though my mom admits that he is playing games I STILL get in in trouble.And on top of that at school I’m living a whole lie . I was questioning my sexuality once so I told my friends I was Bisexual and they told the whole school but when I realized I wasn’t I told them but they didn’t believe me and all the boys started staying away from me and the girls too. Everyday people would come up to me and tell me I’m going to hell even if I would explain to them that I’m not . I want to switch schools.I love my mom ,I’m not saying she’s bad but she just doesn’t realize how she makes me feel when she just cares for my brother and it’s like she’s supporting him lying .ITS ridiculous .so times she say she wants to slam my head in the wall because I’m nosy and I get on her nerves .Even though my brother starts it. And while I’m sitting there getting yelled at my brother is looking at me a laughing.And he never gets yelled at .Only my dad realizes what he’s doing and only my dad tries to talk to him and makes him stop lying. Just writing this makes me hate my life .Did I mention he’s OLDER than me but when I cry he doesn’t care .He doesn’t protect me ,HE JUST laughs Knowing he put me in the position.He makes my mom love him so much to the point where she hates me .Whenever my mom is talking to me it’s only about grades and homework now ,Our bond used to be strong but now it is only broken.I used to really love my brother.But I can’t take it anymore. If he doesn’t die then I will.i have nothing to lose. I love my baby neighbor next door .And I know a lot of people care about me.But it seems like they only care about you once your gone.I don’t think I can stay any longer.Im depressed and I don’t know what to do.And when my dad talks to him He just LIES .My dad don’t believe him but it’s still nice that my dad tries.My mom on the other hand I REALLY love her but the love is fading quickly. And It WILL be gone soon. I noticed I’ve been looking up ways to die.I used to be scared to die but now the only pain I’m afraid of is the the one inside I found this site and thought that I’d i ever do kill myself I would want people to know why .While I was typing this I realized my tears stopped.But the pain didn’t . I WILL kill myself but I’m very religious and I know killing myself is a sin so I want someone to do it .I realized I wrote a lot .I used to think only white people would write stuff like this or feel like this (I used to be stereotypical not racist) but it can obviously happen to anybody.Im Haitian and if ur reading this and u are to u would understand why my parents are like this But no child should be treated like this. I don’t want to be adopted or for people to take me out of this family .They are not abusive .I somehow want to stay with them but kill myself just so they can see what they done.Not for attention. They need to see what the cost me because I can never go back and erase all the lies and yelling from my head.I AM SUICIDAL.i don’t need help .Just keep me in your prayers.i do not want my parents to go to jail.I just want them to change .But me and my brothers relationship is long gone.I AM SUICIDAL .I don’t need help.........

            Comment


            • ccsmod5
              ccsmod5 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hey,
              First of all, thank you so, so much for reaching out. It sounds like you’re feeling a lot of pain and hurt right now and it takes so much courage to share your story. We want you to know that you are not alone and that your life matters. You have worth. Your feelings and your well-being are important. You matter and your life matters. There are options for you, though we know it can be so hard to be in this position and to feel the way you do. You are strong, brave, and resilient. You CAN get through this and you don’t have to do it on your own.
              If you ever feel like you’re in immediate danger of hurting yourself or someone else, we encourage you to call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You are not alone!
              It sounds like your father is an incredibly supportive and loving presence in your life, which we are so glad to hear. We encourage you to reach out to your dad and let him know how you’ve been feeling. You also said that you “REALLY” love your mom, and that “she just doesn’t realize how she makes me feel.” Another option is to have a conversation with your mom or maybe write her a letter letting her know how you’ve been feeling. You should never have to feel this way and be alone. You deserve to be heard and loved and supported. It might also be helpful to have another adult help you have a conversation with your parents, like a guidance counselor in school. We can also do a conference call and help you have that conversation as well. We know it can be hard to do it alone.
              Thank you again so so much for reaching out. It can be so hard to speak up about how you’ve been feeling, but we’re so glad that you did. Please know that you are so important and that your life has worth. You are not alone and you are so loved. We believe in you and we stand behind you. Please feel free to give us a call if you ever need someone to listen. We are here all day, every day.

              Stay safe and stay strong!

              We hope this response was helpful! We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey.
              Last edited by ccsmod5; 03-14-2018, 06:40 PM.

          • #55
            I don’t feel safe at home either my step dad sexually Harassed my sister and watched her sleep naked in the night I want to tell my mom to kick him out but they are married and I don’t want to ruin anything and I consider running away

            Comment


            • ccsmod3
              ccsmod3 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hey there,

              Thanks for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS).

              It must feel awful to feel unsafe in your own home. Sexual harassment is never acceptable, and that is terrible that you had to witness your father do that to your sister. If you ever feel as though you or your sister are in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1. Another resource that you may find beneficial is called RAINN, or the Rape Abuse Incest National Network. Their phone number is 1-800-656-4673. They also have a live-chat feature on their website, www.rainn.org.

              You mentioned wanting to talk to your mom about this as well. It is hard to feel like you would be disrupting a marriage, but you are brave and just for wanting to bring this to her attention. Sometimes, this is a conversation that can be difficult to have alone. If you have a trusted friend or relative, sometimes it is useful to have someone by your side to have the conversation all together. If you’re interested, we here at NRS offer a conference calling service. What happens with this is you would call our number at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), let us know about your situation and that you are interested in a conference call with your mom, and we would call out to her. After talking to her about what is going on, we would connect the call and act as a line of support to you. We strive to make these calls as positive and compromise-driven as possible.
              Witnessing something like that happen can be very hard for a person to make sense of and have to think about. If you are able to, you may find it helpful to talk to someone about what is going on, perhaps a trusted friend or adult. A school guidance counselor may also be a good resource for you. You would want to keep in mind, however, that teachers and other school-professionals are mandated reporters, which means that when they here or abuse or assault, they are required to report this to the child protective services. This might be a report you would be interested in making. If you would like more information on reporting but want support in doing that, we are happy to talk to you about that process and possibly move forward with filing a report with you by contacting us as 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).
              You also mentioned that you are thinking of running away. That can be a scary and hard thing to do, and you are smart to be thinking ahead about it. If you want to talk more about your thoughts behind running away or talk through what your plan might be, we are happy to talk to you at anytime here at NRS at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are a 24/7, toll-free, completely confidential safeline. Here to listen, here to help.
              We hope this response was helpful! We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey.

              Tell us what you think about your experience!




              Best of luck,
              NRS

          • #56
            I'm 14 and i no longer want to be at home anymore nor feel loved or safe. I feel like whatever i do is always a let down, I'm adopted and i have always felt like i am someones second choice because of that. My family always shout at me for no real reason, like today, my parents went out and left food in the oven and the beeper went off and i went to turn the timer off and then texted to see where they were because i forgot they went out and then shouted at me because i couldn't remember how long ago i turned off the beeper. My dad got right up in my face more then once on different acashions shouting at me for stupid reasons, he has been abusive in the past to me but mostly my mum and it is starting again. My mum shouts at me for no reasons and starting to be like angry at me more and so is my dad.I don't feel safe or loved in this house and i really don't want to be here anymore, i don't know what to do to get out of this situation, i really need help.

            Comment


            • ccsmod5
              ccsmod5 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hey, there,
              Thanks so much for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a really tough situation right now and it takes a lot of courage to reach out for support. It takes a lot of strength to share some of what’s going on and to think about your other options, so we’re glad that you found us. We want you to know first of all that you are not alone, and that you deserve to feel safe, supported, and loved at home. We’re so sorry to hear that your parents make you feel like a second choice—you don’t deserve to feel that way. We aren’t legal experts, but we can definitely try to answer your questions and give you some options.
              You mention that your parents have been abusive. That is never, ever okay. You don’t deserve it no matter what. Please know that you are not alone and that there are options for you. We want you to know that you have the right to file an abuse report with child protective services because it’s not okay that your mom hurts you. You can do that by telling a teacher you trust or a guidance counselor at school. You can also do that by calling the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
              Whatever your decision, we encourage you to practice whatever self-care you are able. This looks different for everyone, but could be something like reading, writing, making art, exercising, talking to friends—whatever makes you feel less stressed out. It might also be helpful to talk to someone about how you’ve been feeling, like a guidance counselor or a therapist. You deserve to have someone listen to you and to give you the love, respect, and support that you need. It might also be helpful to have a conversation with your family about how you’ve been feeling at home lately and try to come up with ways that they can better support you. If you need help having this conversation, we do offer a conference call service where one of our liners can advocate for you and try to help you have a fair conversation.
              Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out to us at 1-800-786-2929 if you ever need someone help you find help, or help you figure out your options. We wish you the best of luck and we welcome your feedback of our forum services at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

          • #57
            I’m 15 and I’m constantly verbally and even physically abused at times.My father is manipulative and he has physically and emotionally abused my mother for years and she wants to get separated but he won’t allow it,I don’t know what to do

            Comment


            • ccsmod10
              ccsmod10 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hi there,

              Thanks for reaching out to NRS!

              We are always here to listen and here to help in any way that we can. It can be very frustrating not knowing what to do or what your next step might be from this point on. It’s brave of you to reach out during your time of need.

              It sounds like you’re going through a lot right now. You never deserve to be hit or yelled at in any situation. How you're being treated is wrong. You’re always 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 someone you trust, as far as transferring custody. NRS is able to conference call with you if you need help making the abuse report, or we can make one for you. After an abuse report is made, CPS will investigate it.

              If your mom needs support while trying to separate from your dad, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 799-7233, could be a good place for her to safety plan and find resources. You always are able to call the police if home isn’t safe, or if your dad tries to hurt you or your mom again. We also have legal aid resources in our database, they are experts of the law that may be able to help you and your mom.

              We hope our response is helpful. We’re here to try to brainstorm options with you. Also, talking to school counselors and teachers about what’s going on at home could provide you with great support. You are not alone in this. You are always welcome to call into our 24/7 crisis center if you'd like to talk more about your situation.

              Be safe, NRS

          • #58
            Is 12 and I have never felt safe at home. It keepd getting worse all the yelling and hitting. I don't have anyone I trust or am cared about by. I'm scared to come home from school and have thought about and attempted suicide. i don't know what else to do but suicide to escape it all.

            Comment


            • ccsmod9
              ccsmod9 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hello There,
              Thanks for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.
              We’re so sorry that you’re not feeling safe in your home. You deserve to feel happy and safe where you live. We’re also sorry you’re thinking about hurting yourself because of what is happening to you. We want you to know that this is not your fault!
              If you feel comfortable, it might be a good idea to talk to an adult at your school. Someone like a trusted teacher or the counselor. Sometimes having someone to vent your feelings to can help in making a situation better. Adults at your school are what you call “mandated reporters”. That means, if you tell them that you are being harmed at home, they are supposed to help by reporting to Child Protective Services.
              This is also an option to do on your own or have someone here help you with. If you called us directly, not only could give you a space to vent and feel heard, but we can do a conference call with your local abuse reporting hotline. If you want to learn more about what abuse is and how to report it, please visit www.childhelp.org.
              We’re so sorry you’re feeling like hurting yourself. It’s not uncommon for someone who feels trapped to think that their only way out is to kill themselves. It sounds like you might be feeling this way, we want you to know that you are not alone. It might be helpful to confide in someone you trust or, if you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you could call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 (www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org). If you feel like you’re a danger to yourself, please dial 911.
              You can also reach out to us here directly to discuss any of these issues in more detail. We’re here 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).
              Stay Safe,
              NRS

          • #59
            Hi I’m 12 years old and I live in Phoenix and my entire family hates me. My mom always yells at me and even hits me sometimes she makes threats. She called me dumb and wish I was never born. My brother yells at me and threatins me all the time he yells at me in public and isn’t scared to hit me it’s gotten to the point that I hate being home with my family I enjoy school cause my friends treat me like a human being. My mom almost put my dad in jail and she blamed me so now my dad hates me and doesn’t talk to me. All I wanna do is have a good family that loves me and supports me. Please help

            Comment


            • ccsmod10
              ccsmod10 commented
              Editing a comment
              Hi there,

              Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We’re so sorry to hear about the situation you’re dealing with at home. You definitely don’t deserve to be treated this way or have those horrible things said to you, especially by your family. You mentioned that your mom and brother sometimes hit you, which is considered abuse. If you would like, you may choose to contact the National Child Abuse Hotline and file a report at 1-800-422-4453, or visit their website at childhelp.org.

              Everyone deserves to be loved and supported, and it sounds like you have some amazing friends. It’s so great that you are enjoying school and have people there that you can count on. If you would like to talk to someone about what you’re going through, you can reach us by calling our hotline at 1-800-786-2929, or by chat via our website. Again we’re so glad you reached out to us, and wish you the best!

          • #60
            I am 16 and I live in Texas. My home life is far from normal. I have very strict controlling parents who are also very religious. We clash and fight a lot because they want me to mold into their Barbie doll and that is just not who I am. I am the youngest of three and my two brothers have moved out. It wasn't as bad when they were still here because I had them and all the brunt of my parents fighting didn't just come at me. Now that I am the last one everything is my fault. I am on complete lockdown and to be able to see anyone I have to sneak out... Yes I know that is dangerous for a young girl to do but I am a prisoner in my own home. My stepdad honestly scares me especially when he is mad. He lets his anger get to him and he will hit me or yell the most hateful things at me. My mom kind of steps in but not much. I just do not feel at home or safe in my own home. I just need a way out. I cant go to my bio dad... it's a long story but the shortened version is sexual and mental abuse. I have nowhere to go but I cant stay. I just want to feel safe and happy and not be around fighting and fear 24/7. What do I do? How do I get out?

            Comment

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