Im 17 and I cant live here anymore

[Guest]

I'm a 17 year old girl who lives in an abusive household verbal and physical. My childhood was taken from me at a very early age. My father has two older kids and two younger kids. I feel like I do not belong here. I get in trouble over stupid things. I have had my fair share of trouble but who hasn't. I'm reminded of bad past constantly even though I've changed. They say they love me but they don't show it. It's even gotten to a point where I have to pack my bag but I'm having trouble finding somewhere to go. I just want out of this life. I do good in school but recently my grades have been slipping because of all of the stress. My father won't even give me his W-2s to apply for financial aid. I could get more for running away and being homeless.

[ccsmod11]

Thank you for contacting us!

It sounds like you have been coping with very difficult situation at home and we are sorry to hear about this abuse – no one deserves that. You have shown some remarkable strength to stay focused on your grades and planning for college despite these obstacles at home.

First, since you have referred to abuse, there is a hotline you could call to formally report this physical abuse if you’d like to be placed in another household. You can call Child Help (National Child Abuse Hotline) at 1-800-422-4453 or go to their website at childhelp.org.

Also, let’s think about options and considerations for where else you could live. Perhaps you have a close friend or family member you could stay with. It’s important to consider if your father would give his permission for you to live there. If your father doesn’t give permission, he could file a runaway report that could compel the police to bring you back home if they knew where you were staying. Perhaps you have a counselor at school or another adult you trust that you can talk about these issues with. If so, it would be good to review all of these options before you take action.

If you would like to speak more specifically about your situation or need help locating local resources, please feel free to reach out to us at 1-800-786-2929. Our lines are open 24/7, so someone is always around to listen. Best of luck to you.

-NRS