Running Away

[Unregistered]

As cliche as it sounds, sometimes family life is no longer tolerable. I have been emotionally and physically abused for a while now but no one has ever known. My boyfriend also gets emotionally and mentally abused and he can no longer bear to live in his house either. They no longer allow him to text me, which has broken him completely. How can i insure that we run and be safe? How can I find shelters in different states to make sure we have a place to go? How much money would we need to last two years on the run? How likely is it to get caught while being on the run? We want to run away in two months and go somewhere very far, specifically South. How would i be able to find shelters in South Carolina, if I live in Nevada? How can I, being 16, get a train ticket to SC? Is it likely for police and parents to look across the country for a runaway?

[ccsmod11]

re: Running Away

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We’re really glad you contacted us and we want to help you the best we can.

So it sounds like you’ve been going through a really tough time at home. You mentioned that there has been some abuse going on and we are so sorry to hear that. Nobody ever deserves to be treated like that regardless of the situation, especially at home because home is supposed to be a loving and supportive place. We want you to know that we are here for you and want you to feel safe. You said your boyfriend is experiencing abuse as well. We are glad to hear that you two have each other for support. Have either of you thought of reporting the abuse going on? We completely understand how scary that sounds, but it is an option to keep in mind that would help end the abuse you are experiencing. If you want, we could file an abuse report for you if you decide that is what you want to do. There are lots of people out there that care about you and want you to be safe at home.

It seems like you two have been thinking a lot about leaving home. It is very smart of you to be thinking ahead of possible issues that could arise from running away. Unfortunately, we can’t really answer those questions exactly. We are not legal experts, but generally, when someone under 18 runs away and their parent files a runaway report, they can be returned home if found by police. Calling your local non-emergency police number might be helpful in getting some more specific legal answers. In regards to finding a shelter, sometimes youth shelters ask for parental consent to stay there and may ask to call your parents for permission when you get there. Money and transportation are two other tricky parts of running and we’re glad you’re thinking ahead! There are lots of things to think about and we would be more than happy to help you think things through, listen to you, or find some legal aid or additional resources that would help you out.

We are available by chat 4:30pm-11:30pm CST at our website 1800runaway.org, or anytime via our 24/7 hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY(786-2929). Again, we are so glad you reached out and please contact us with any other questions or for additional support.

Best of luck and hope you hear from you soon!

Best, NRS