17 y/o wants to leave without emancipation

[Unregistered]

I am 17 years old and I live in Utah. I want to move out of my parents house because they are incredibly strict, verbally abusive and my mom sometimes can be physical, less now though. I can't tolerate waiting ten months until I'm 18. My boyfriend wants us to get a place together along with my best friend; all three of us will help with rent and bills. I have a job, so I hardly have a problem with the financial situation. The thing is, I don't want to take my parents to court for emancipation. I just want to convince them to let me move out. Is there any way of doing this? Or is there a way that I can get an emancipation without the hassle of taking my parents to court?

[ccsmod6]

RE: 17 y/o wants to leave without emancipation

Hello there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear that things at home are difficult for you. You do not deserve to be mistreated in any way. We are concerned about your safety and well-being. You mentioned that you have endured verbal and physical abuse. You have the option of filing an abuse report if you feel comfortable doing so. You can contact Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453. If you wanted to pursue filing a report and ever needed some help with that, we could help if you called us at our 24 hour number at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

You mentioned convincing your parents to let you move out. What would it be like to have a conversation with them about your personal goals and interests in moving out? We are wondering if you already tried to speak with them, what happened. Perhaps we can help brainstorm with you some ways that can help your situation at home. We, unfortunately, cannot provide legal advice on your situation, but an option is to inquire from a legal expert about what you can do about your situation. You can reach out to a local legal aid office for free or low-cost legal counseling about your rights at 17 and explore some of those questions that you have about emancipation.

The risk of leaving home before you reach the age of majority is that a runaway report may be filed and if found, you are typically brought back home by the police. Also, anyone you were to stay with could potentially be charged with harboring a runaway. All of this really depends on how your state handles runaway cases. Contacting your local non-emergency police department is often the best thing to do to learn more about state laws and issues around leaving home under the age of 18.

We hope this helps. We wish you the best and hope that you stay safe.

Take care,

NRS

Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat which is open every day from 4:30p to 11:30p CST and can be accessed here: www.1800runaway.org

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

[Unregistered]

I'm 17 in a half and I graduated high school already can I move out with my boyfriend and his parents.

[ccsmod3]

Re:

Hello and thanks for reaching out on our forum.

Congratulations on graduating high school early. You raise a very good question as far as whether you can move out with your boyfriend and his parents. In most states, you are considered a minor up until your 18th birthday. However, it is also possible police may not actively pursue 17 year old runaways as much, especially the closer you get to 18. One way to get a more direct answer would be for you (or someone you trust) to reach out to your local law enforcement directly. We’re also available to talk to you further about your situation. You’re welcome to try out our Live Chat when it is open. Best of luck!