I'm 13, I hate my family and I want to leave.

[Guest]

I dont want to stay in my house anymore. My dad is an alcoholic and is very unfair and thinks he's right all the time, he doesn't even care about what he does when he is drinking. He kicked me before when I was trying to protect my mother from him.

[ccsmod4]

Reply:I dont want to stay in my house anymore


Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We understand how difficult it must be when you are trying to cope with someone with a substance abuse problem. That being said your safety is important. You don’t deserve to be abused in any way.
We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. Domestic violence is something that affects everyone involved but there are services to help protect and keep victims of this safe.
It takes courage to reach out and even more to leave a situation like this. Perhaps you might consider speaking with your mother about getting help through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1800-799-7233. We would like to hear what your thoughts are about getting help for you and your mother.

We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. If you would like to talk more, please call or chat soon.

Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 9-1-1 to seek emergency assistance immediately.

Take care,
NRS

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: Your Opinion Matters to Us

[Guest]

I'm not exactly in the worst situation. My parents suck though. They yell at me and get angry for absolutely no reason. They want me to get good grades but won't let me actually do my homework or study. They want me to be perfect and if I'm not, I get yelled at. They keep asking for "respect" and even when I try to give it, they act rude and never listen to my side. My father always talks about how if I don't give "respect" to my parents they'll hit me and its not as if they haven't hit me before. My mother always talks about how ugly I dress, how fat I am and how utterly useless I am. I don't know how much longer I can deal with this family. I hate living here and it makes me miserable. These days, it got so bad that I'm having suicidal thoughts, I don't know what to do. Should I leave? I've been thinking about running for a long time anyway. I also can't seem to talk about my side of the situation because no matter what I say, it's wrong.

[ccsmod6]

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. Your side of the situation is not wrong! Your experiences are real and from the sound of it, your parents have said things and acted in ways that are inappropriate and hurtful. If you feel like they are acting in a way that is emotionally or physically abusive, it might be worth it to talk to the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. They can help you understand what reporting might look like and what the possible outcomes could be. If you feel like things are becoming too much, you might want to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255. Even if you aren’t feeling suicidal, you can still talk to them to try to figure things out or find some support. In terms of leaving, it’s difficult for us to make any judgements about what you should do given the fact that our information about your situation is so limited. If you want to discuss in greater detail what’s going on and what your options might be, please reach out to us on our 24/7 hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY or on chat at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello ,I'm a 16yearold girl living in a foreign country.For 2 years now since November 1016 I am living here .I didnt want to come to this country... My life was perfect before that!! I was with my friends and in a school I loved .Elementary school sucked but once I got to my country's middle school everythibg was amazing for me.... We moved away to a country we bearly knw existed in the map .. and without knowing people or language...and All that in the last year of my middle school..My parents didnt consider what I want...
I ve been a bad kid since then I can say.I was so angry.. I refused everything and wanted to make people around me hurt as much as I did.
I made it at some point ... to all of us..
This place we went has no life .Its a village with sleeping people...and you see me..the creative girl I used to be ..being the quiet snob foreign girl with no friends..
I tried a lot of times to return to Greece and move away with my aunt and grandma..but the situations wouldnt allow it...
I hurt people around me ..yes I do..
but I live in an empty whole everyday and I dont kbow what to do...Everything seems to be an enemy to my mind..Dramatic I know..But you have no idea how much I want to get away ..For finding my friends and life again AND for finding myself again.
I always say to my mother that age is a stupid discovery and I was able to decide and handle my self and life by the time I say so.
The call me imature .I dont know if they are right .But I just have a voice inside of me that says...I want to have the right to decide about my school years and my future...
What should I do?

[ccsmod2]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. That situation sounds really tough. It can be rough moving to a new country and leaving the friends you had behind. We’re not legal experts and when it comes to moving to a different country they can have different laws. There are a few things that you could do.
Not sure about how the laws work in the country that you are in, but in certain situations if your relatives wanted to take custody of you that might allow you to move back to Greece.
You could also possibly speak to a counselor at school about how it’s been tough transitioning and making friends in a place where the language is not one that is a first language.
If you want to further discuss your specific situation and options you have we’d be happy to talk our number is 800-RUNAWAY.
Best,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi
I'm a 13 year old girl... i have serve depression from my family...and trouble sleeping.... I am lesbian and Transgenger and my family don't accept me for it... I have been se;f harming on and off for almost three years, I did live with my mum but recently moved in with my grandad due to drama and bullying at school. all my family yell at me if they find me crying... all my family insult my girlfriend which has caused huge arguments between me and her...My mum calls me names...for example, selfish, pathetic, useless... and much I have been slapped punched kicked strangled by my 4 year old siter....believe it or not... my grandad who I thought was a nice person...he's never yelled at me...untill this night...the night that I'm writing this...he came into my room at almost am in the morning...I was crying my eyes out and I could bearly talk... instead of being nice and caring... he forced his arms around me... and asked me whats wrong in a mad tone I told him nothing... then he just took my phone and yelled at me... making my tremble... my girlfriend lives in france.... and she doesn't exactly have the best family her self... all I want to do it run away with her... we had talked and dreamed about our house and what town or city we would live it... but then again I only 13... I can't evem go see her... I just want help... please....

[ccsmod9]

Thanks for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. You made a great first step to finding the help that you may need. It sounds like you are going through a lot and the people around you are not being supportive. You deserve to be treated with respect, to experience acceptance and to feel safe.

We want you to know that you are strong for having gone through so much already. It is perfectly okay to deviate from what others or the common population believe to be “normal”. You’re bravery and resilience is so admirable. You are so strong for having gone through so much without having the acceptance that you do deserve for just being you. Remember that you are not alone. If you ever want to talk more about what you are experiencing or get additional support we are here 24/7 at 1800-RUNAWAY or our live chat service. The GLBT National Hotline at 1888-843-4564 is another option to gain great support from those that are familiar with the issues and experiences of those that are also a part of the LGBTQ community. You can access their website link bellow to utilize all the other possibly useful resources they have to offer: http://www.glbthotline.org/

You mentioned that you were considering the options that may be best for you. By all means, if you do fear for your safety either now or in the future, do not hesitate to take the necessary steps to regain your safety. This may mean calling the authorities or possibly reporting the things you may be experiencing. Other options to think about may be other family members, friends, or a trusted adults that would be able to provide you with support or a safe place to stay. It is great that you thinking ahead. Should you feel like leaving home is best, it may be a good idea to think about how you will provide necessities for yourself such as food, clothing, showers, healthcare and other basic needs. You may want to also consider how your parent’s will react to you leaving without permission. We are not legal experts here, but typically as a minor (under the age of 1 you need permission from your parents to leave home. It is not illegal to runaway, but it would mean that your parents could file a runaway report with the police. This is usually done in an effort to try to return you home as the police are required to do so.

If you can give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY or reach out through Live Chat we can try to find some youth shelters that may be near your city and state by utilizing our database of resources. We can also try to call out to shelters with you or on your behalf to advocate for you.

Stay Strong,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi...
I'm a 13 years old girl...and I hate my family....Me and my mum first lived with my grandma and grandad ut then we moved away but over the years its been getting harder and harder I have to younger siblings which both abuse me...I have been self harming on and off for almost 4 years....I hav ebeen called multiple names by my mother and my step father I was even told by my own mother that I was a mistake and never ment to be born...my real dad is also suffering with depression like me...2018 has been a hard year for me...I came out to my family about my sexuality...it didn't go well...I have an amazing incredible girlfriend we have kept our relation ship hidden from my family since febuary... but recently my mum found out and yells at me for being on call with her all the time.... all my family do is insult her... blame stuff on here that isn't her fault...I recently moved back to my grandads house without my mother... due to me being harrased and bullied at school...but everything just got so much harder... the other night I was crying and it woke my grandad up he just blamed it on my girlfriend, yelled at me and took my phone and yelled at me more... I have serve depression and I fight it every single day and my girlfriend helps me and makes me happy but then my family ruin it all...I consently get reminded then I'm over weight... I've always hates my self and my body... I tried running away hen I was young but an hour later my mum found me and literally dragged me home... sometimes I think I'm better off dead then alive....

[ccsmod7]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’re in a lot of pain and going through a lot of stress. It takes strength to reach out when you’re feeling this way and we’re glad you did.

You mentioned that you’ve been being abused by your family. If you feel unsafe, you could file a report with Child Protective Services. There is also a hotline called Child Help at 1-800-422-4453. This a national child abuse hotline that could be helpful for you. It can be difficult to come out to your family about your sexuality. It was brave of you to be honest about your relationship. It’s good that your girlfriend is a source of support for you.

You mentioned that you feel death might be better than what you’re experiencing. I’m sorry to hear you’re in so much pain. If you are considering suicide, you can reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. We are also available to talk here at NRS, at 1-800 786-2929. We can discuss your situation in more detail and explore some other possible options. We also have a chat option on our website at www.1800runaway.org.

Thank you again for reaching out. We look forward to hearing from you.

Take care,

NRS

[Guest]

I don't like the family I love or live with anymore.

LSS (Long Story Short): I've recently started smoking because of all the stress I'm going through. My mother seems to not give a ******** about me anymore, she told me she will leave my life if I continue to do what I'm doing. I on the other hand disagree with her choice. I have to smoke to get the stress and anger away not to mention I'm both depressed and have anxiety, it kills me everyday. I'm 16 turning 17 next year. I do not have a dad as my mom can't seem to stay with anyone nor find anyone and not to mention again that she WAS with a older man for a few months which they both got in fights almost daily. I'm the only "child" that lives with her at the moment and I just hate being here now. I can't get help with anything and she seems to not give a ********, nothing more to say about it.

[ccsmod7]

Thank you for reaching out to NRS and sharing with us. It sounds like you are going through a really stressful time and it must be frustrating that your mom is not being very supportive. You deserve to feel wanted and loved where you live. Depression and anxiety are incredibly tough to deal with so it is important to find ways to cope. If you are interested in counseling or talking to someone you could contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-877-726-4727 or go to samhsa.gov or if you need someone to talk to in the moment you can text “Connect” to 741741. You could also try to talk to your mom about how you are feeling. These conversations can be difficult so you could think of some people who your mom trusts who may be able to help you talk to her. We can also help by doing a conference call with you and your mom where we can facilitate a productive conversation and advocate for your needs. You can reach out to us 24/7 at 1-800786-2929 if you need help with anything or want to talk more about what is going on.

Thanks again for taking the step to reach out. Best of luck!

[Guest]

I'm 14 and I want to leave

I live with my mother and we never get along. My mom is not as bad as a lot of other moms, she is not an alcoholic or druggie. But, she loves screaming at me when I do something wrong. She's called me all sorts of names, i.e., B***, loser, worthless, W****, fat, S***, etc. She has dragged me by the hair before and thrown books ate me. She constantly puts me down, saying that I'll most likely end up as failure in life. Further, she constantly says she is doing what is "best" for me, i.e., toughing me up and preparing me for the world. I do try to meet my mom's expectations, but she wants be to be "PERFECT" just like her. She also admits she hates me a lot, and I fully reciprocate the feeling. When ever she puts me in a sport or extra curricular activity she is constantly pressuring me to be perfect. Most of the time, I just want to have fun in the activity. In school she yells at me that I am lazy and stupid if I don't meet deadlines or make everything perfect. I want to leave home so bad. However, I need the education so that I can get a good job once I'm 18, and move far, far away. What can I do?

[ccsmod6]

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It’s terrible that your mother has been treating you this way. Screaming at you, calling you names, constantly pressuring you, and throwing things at you and dragging you by the hair is not acceptable. You do not deserve that treatment and it sounds like your mother’s outburst are resulting in a hostile home. It can certainly be frustrating to continue in that position.

Since you said your mother has thrown books at you and has pulled you by the hair, it’s important to think about your safety. If you don’t feel safe at any time, we encourage you to call 911 if you’re in immediate harm. You can also call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) if you feel any hesitation or concern as to whether or not that would be the right option. Your safety is our priority. If you feel like you are being abused or want to learn about the abuse reporting process or even make a report, please don’t hesitate to contact the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or childhelp.org.

You also mentioned that you want to leave the house, but you want to make sure that you are able to continue getting an education. That is a noble pursuit to think about your education. While we are not legal experts, we do have a general understanding of how running away works in the US. While it is not usually illegal, it’s important to know that your mother would have the ability to file a runaway report with the local police department. In that case, police would seek you out if they know where you are staying, notify your local guardian as to where your location is, and return you home. This report gets expunged when you turn 18. If there’s another parent in the picture, you can also ask them if you would be able to stay with them. Since they would also have legal guardianship over you, it would be legal for you to stay with them.

If running away is not an option, it may be a good idea to reach out to other local resources that could help you handle your mother’s emotional abuse. Good resources to consider is talking to a school guidance counselor, a close friend, another relative who you feel comfortable with, and/or a therapist.

Again, you can always call us on our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), or chat us at https://www.1800runaway.org. We can provide advocacy, resources and referrals, and conference calls if you would ever want us to mediate a call between you and your mother. We are also here to talk and discuss the options that you’ve tried in the past in order to find potential next steps.
Remember, we are confidential, 24 hours, anonymous, and all trained to find ways to meet your needs.
-Good luck.

[Guest]

I’m 13 and really hate everyone

my family is nice to me but it feels fake. When my mom was alive she would show and tell me how much she hated me. When I’m around my dad and his girlfriend it feels fake. They fake a smile for a little bit but when they get tired of me they start to yell. Sometimes, when they get an attitude with me I have to get one back in order to make them stop. They always get mad at me and blame stuff on me.
His girlfriend will lie and say I did something that’s not true.
I really hate being frowned upon by my family to they have a tendency to tell me I’m not good enough in public but when they do they have a smile on their face so people think that we’re just a happy family.
honestly…I don’t know how much longer I have until I snap and end everything. I hate having to fake being their happy little princess who smiles all the time. And now it’s so hard to put on that smile so when I don’t they say I’m depressed, emo, suicidal, and mentally ill. Why am I the only one they hate…why am I the disgusting, disappointment that happened? I don’t understand... I just want to get away from them.

[ccsmod4]

Reply: I’m 13 and really hate everyone


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.
We are sorry that things are not going well between you and your family. It sounds like things have been pretty hard for you. 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.
You don’t deserve to be talked down to and treated negatively. It is not your fault that they choose to behave this way.

Sometimes communication breaks down with someone you are close to and it can make it difficult to know just where to turn. You did well reaching out today. We would like you to know NRS is here to listen and here to help. 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 and explore some options for help, 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

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: Your Opinion Matters to Us

[Guest]

I’m 13 and I hate everything and everyone. I really want to leave my family, I wanted to leave since I was 9. My mom used to abuse me but then she stopped for some reason which I’m thankful for. Every day she finds a way to yell at me, sometimes it’s my fault for not cleaning my room or having good grades but it really hurts me the way she said stuff to me. I’ve recently have been getting bad grades and that’s my fault for not turning in assignments but she calls me an idiot, a dumbass, and she compares me to other kids all the time. She tells me how smart she was at my age when she was growing up in Korea and how Korean kids study 24/7, asking me why I can’t be like them. My dad is sweet most of the time but has an alcoholic. He gets mad easily, and he gets mad for dumb reasons. Last year my parents got into a fight about something and he threw a beer can at her. We were forced to leave the house, I couldn’t pay attention at school the next day because of the trauma I just witnessed. Last month on a Thursday at 12am I asked my parents to lower their voices down so I could sleep for school, my dad got pissed and told me to get the ******** out of his house. I said "can you please lower your voices, thank you" then he was screaming at me for saying shut the ******** up? I never said that and he was putting words in my mouth. We ended up having long conversation and I went back to my room. My mom came up to talk to me and she asked me why I was crying, how the ******** would I not be? My mom took his side and said it was my fault, for doing what? Whenever they do something wrong to me they always tell me it’s my fault because I going through a "teenage phase". Is this really a phase or is this serious? I never get enough sleep from them fighting or talking loudly or my sister screaming. I can barely stay awake at school, a lot of my friends are getting annoying to me, and I hate the teachers so so much. In the mornings I seem to be fine but when it’s any time after 6pm I start to break down. I thought of running away or killing myself a long time now but if I do its going to affect my grandparents and I’m afraid my parents will abuse my sisters when I’m not around. Is this a phase or is this serious, because I seriously can’t live here anymore please help me.

[ccsmod4]

Reply: I’m 13 and I hate everything and everyone.

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We would like to be of assistance to you if we can. It is times like these that would be nice to have a listening ear. You do not deserve to be abused in any way by anyone. It is not your fault that this happening to you.
It must be difficult for you seeing your parent’s fight and witnessing your father’s behavior. You are not responsible for how they behave. This is not something that can be put off as a phase. Your feelings are important and so are you.
When going through difficulties it can become upsetting and frustrating. It is also important that you remember to exercise self-care. You did well by reaching out to NRS. Good for you. It is not fair for others to compare you to anyone and talk negatively about you.
It sounds like you are trying explore options. Hurting yourself does not have to be one of them. You might consider compiling a list of positive idea’s that you can examine and go over. Sometimes feeling supportive helps. Would be ok with sharing your feelings with your grandparent’s? It’s good to have some sort of positive outlet. If not them perhaps there is someone else you might feel comfortable with talking with. You have been through a great deal emotionally but you are displaying a lot of strength. Good for you. You are not alone. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat so that we might learn a little more about your situation and how we might help. If you would like to talk more and share how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.

Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

If you are feeling at unsafe or at risk contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at: 1-800-273-8255

Take care,
NRS

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: Your Opinion Matters to Us

[Guest]

I am 15 in Atlantic High School in florida .!! I really dont care telling my business but like im desperately sad!!! because i have no idea how longer i can go on without telling my family i am sad all the time as in i feel like an outcast and also i wnna tell them im gay.......just so nervous and im happy at times but there are times where i wish to be in a foster home or just move in with teacher or friends because im tired of being criticized about my looks and weight. im too scared to say anything because i know i will get kicked out or just wont be acknowledged in the family anymore.... im so tired of being tired and im really tired of trying to live up to other people’s expectations. i wanna run away but just scared or worried that i may run into the same place all over again.

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us. We’re so sorry to hear that things are so challenging at home with your family. It sounds like you’ve wanted to be more open about who you are with them, and the constant criticism makes it really difficult to feel comfortable with them. You expressed an interest in exploring whether running away would make things better and, while we won’t tell you what to do, we can share information that might help you figure out your next steps.

It’s really brave of you to want to express yourself and be honest about who you are. It sounds like you don’t feel that your family would be supportive of you coming out as gay, and we want you to know that you are not alone. It’s understandable that you would be concerned that running away may lead you to the same type of situation again, and we hope that if you do decide to run away, you’ll consider giving us a call. We’ll do our best to respect and support whatever you decide, while working with you to help you stay as safe as possible with your decision. If you feel like you just want to talk, we’re here for that too. If you feel like you’d rather speak with someone that’s more familiar with what’s going on in your life, organizations like the LGBT National Hotline, available at 1.888.843.4564 and at www.glbthotline.org , as well as the LGBT National Youth Talkline, available at 1.800.246.7743, are also there to support you. Most important for you to know is that you’re not alone.

Please know that we’re here to help. Whatever you decide, we will do our best to help you figure out your next steps, and help you identify resources that might support you in your efforts to stay safe and healthy. We’re available 24/7 at 1.800.RUNAWAY (786.2929), everyday via chat. We’re here to listen, here to help. Stay safe!

-NRS

[Guest]

I'm 13 and want a new family!
I live with my parents, which I understand are trying to do their best to raise me and my sister. my dad is so mean though. one mistake and he wants to take me out of my school district! You see, I had a bad grade on my progress report and hid it from my family for 1 day. obviously they, my parents, found out and now my dad says he's sick of my ways because I am kind of lazy and he can't take it anymore. He says that being in a good district is a "Privilege", but not if you've been going there for 10 years in the making! so today my dad decides not to take me nor me to school. he wants us to go to a district that's behind in learning and has the most drop outs. I know he's mad but I just one more chance! I'm so desperate here. i don't want to be brainwashed into doing something I'll regret or doing something that'll get me killed. I hate them doing stuff like this but hey I'm just a kid who wants to school in a good district, and move out. please help!

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for contacting us, it takes a lot of courage to reach out and share your story. It sounds like you and your sister are being put in a tough spot and there’s a lot of pressure to do well in school. It must be really hard to live in a home with so much tension. If you can go to school it might be a good idea to reach out to the school counselor to talk about what’s going on. If you’d like, you can always call us directly so we can arrange a conference call with your dad to perhaps mediate a conversation between the two of you.

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]

Im 13 and I really hate my family and want to move out I cant stand them I cant stand there stupid religion. I want to moves schools and go back to my old school but they dont want me to they think i should stay where i am but the thing is that I miss my friends. And my parents dont want me talking to none of them. They dont even want me to talk to any boys. They think I should just focus on my studies which is ok right. But they also want me to be a Jehovah Witness when I clearly dont want to be. Also I hate my parents because my mom keeps on telling me im fat and dumb that my little brother is smarter than me and then she wondering why my self esteem is so low.But Im scared tho because I would loose people I love like my little brother and my cousins. I know my aunts will welcome me at their homes but I dont want them to get in any type of trouble with the law. What should I do about this?

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for contacting us, it takes a lot of courage to reach out and share your story. It must be really hard to live in a home with so much tension and where you feel like you’re forced into a religion where you aren’t comfortable. No one deserves to be emotionally abused and berated.

It’s great to hear that your aunts support you. If you do opt to leave your home your parents can file a runaway report, which is essentially a missing person report. Running away is a status offense; this means that it isn’t illegal, but it’s something you can’t do while still a minor. If you go to stay at your aunts’ house without prior permission from your parents, they could be charged with harboring a runaway, which is a misdemeanor.
Penalties for harboring a runaway vary from state to state, police officer to officer, and how your parents view the situation.

It might be worthwhile to look into some resources that may be available to you. School counselors or local family counseling agencies may be of some kind of benefit. 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