I'm 12 and I want to run Away.

[Guest]

Hi a 12
and i want to runaway because my parenta hit me for doing things that dont bothered them they hit me with anything they yell at me and call me dumb and they swear at me please help me i want to leave now

[ccsmod10]

Hello,

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It’s great that you were able to find out some information about our hotline. Hopefully we can help.

Abuse is never okay and you shouldn't have to go through that treatment at home. 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 you decide to leave home before then your guardians could file a runaway report on you. Running away is not a crime, but it is a status offense. You can't be arrested for running away and if the police come across you they will just return you home. We can always try to find a runaway shelter for you in your area if you do decide to leave home. We also have legal aid resources in our database. While we’re not law experts, we can try to find one in your area, there may be legal ways for you to be able to move out of your house. We’re here to try to brainstorm options with you.

We hope our response is helpful. 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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. You are always welcome to call into our 24/7 crisis center, or use our chatting services via our website. However, the chatting service is not open 24/7. So the best way to tell us everything would be to just call into our hotline and talk to one of our trained liners.

Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

I want to Run away my dad is the worst and my mom doesnt understand i know these dont seem like 'real' problems but they are the worst every minute with them seems like an hour they dont let me hangout with anyone and then tell me i dont have friends they tell me to do the homework and get good grades but when i sit down to do my homework i get yelled at for sitting down and not cleaning i get called lazy i need to get out

[ccsmod3]

Hello! Thank you for reaching out to us. It definitely sounds like you have a lot going on right now, and we completely understand why you want to leave. It can be difficult to feel like no one understands you, especially members of your family. We want you to know that we are always here to listen if you want to give us a call and discuss your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and we are open 24/7.
Best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

Me too my grandma said that she wants to kill me. I want to run away and she says that she doesn't care about me. And I'm so afraid if her. When she hits me I hit her back because it my only way of self defense. I told my mom that she said she was going to kill me and she doesn't care. We live in a trailer park and one of them is unlocked and it's right next door so it would be easy . I feel as if she doesn't want care what I do. Please help me someone.

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline.

We're sorry to hear about what has been going on and want you to know that you deserve to feel safe and happy in your home. We understand that it takes a great deal of courage to seek help. You mentioned experiencing physical and emotional abuse which may be reportable against your grandma. Please keep in mind you by no means deserve any type of abuse, emotional or otherwise. That said, we can’t be 100% sure what the outcome will be if your local CPS decides to open a case based on what you share. Sometimes CPS decides to remove minors from the home and other times they offer services such as family counseling or mediation instead. The only way to know the outcome might be to reach out to them directly and if you’re ready to do that we are here to help you through that process. Reaching out to Child Help USA at (1-800-422-4453) or www.childhelp.org may help to get a better understanding of what may happen before and after a report is made. You could call out with a trusted adult or other family as well if you are nervous.

Stay safe, and let us know how we can best help.

NRS

[Guest]

Hi
I get hit and I want to run away I’m only 13 and My parents like to hurt me a lot an di hate it I want to die but running away is best I’m thinking of going to my grandma house

[ccsmod5]

Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you are going through a difficult time, and we are here to help in any way we can.
You mentioned that your parents like to hurt you a lot. No child should ever be abused. If you would like to report this, Child Help, the National Child Abuse Hotline, can help you go through the steps to report your abuse. Their phone number is 1-800-422-4453, and their website is childhelp.org. It can be very tough to talk through these things, and if you would like to have an extra line of support while you go through this process, we here at NRS are happy to help call out to them with you. Our toll-free phone number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). If you ever find yourself in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.
School counselors and teachers can also be very good resources for children that are in abusive situations. School personnel are mandated reporters, so if you do talk to them about the hurt that you have been experiencing, they will legally have to file an abuse report. If you are not interested in filing a report at this time, you can also express to them that you are unhappy, and they may be able to provide you with other resources in the meantime.
You said that you want to die. It can be overwhelming to experience these situations. If you are having suicidal thoughts, here is the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255. Their website is suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You will be transferred to a crisis center in your area, and they will then talk you through your thoughts and give you information for mental health resources in your area.
You said that you’re thinking of going to your grandma’s house. It is great that you have a place where you can feel safe to run away to. If you are going to go to her, it will help if she is on the same page as you, so you might want to reach out to her first and talk through your plan to stay with her.
You also know your relationship with your parents best, but it may even help to let them know your plan to stay with your grandma and why. That way they will not have to file a runaway report with the police, and you can settle in to your life with your grandma. This conversation can be hard to have with parents, and here at NRS, we offer a conference calling service. In this case, you would call into us here at 1-800-RUNAWAY, we would talk to you about what is going on, and then call out to your parent, talk to them a little bit, then connect the call. We would act as a third party of support on the line to make sure your conversation stays productive and compromise-driven.
If you have any other questions or want to discuss your thoughts and plans if you decide to run away, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are a 24/7, completely confidential, toll-free safeline. Here to listen, here to help.
Best of luck,
NRS

[Guest]

I want to die and hurt myself. I have severe depression and my dad lives my sister more. I get blamed for her mistakes and everyday feels like a living hell. I've thought about running away or hurting myself. I just want to disappear

[ccsmod5]

Hi, there,
Thank you so much for reaching out. It sounds like you’re going through a really difficult time and you feel like dying may be one of your only options. It takes a lot of courage to talk about how you’ve been feeling, so thank you for taking this great first step. Please know that you are not alone. While it may feel like things are really difficult right now, we want you to know that there is a whole life ahead of you. You are loved now, and there are many, many people that you will meet who will love you and keep you safe. Depression can lie to us, make us feel like we are alone and that dying is the only option. That is just not true. There is more for you. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. We want you to know that you are not a burden, that you are not to blame for your sister’s mistakes.
We encourage you to share what you’ve been feeling with an adult you trust, like your dad or mom, a teacher, a guidance counselor, or even one of your friends’ parents. If you ever need someone to listen or help, we are here 24/7. Our number is 1-800-786-2929. Another resource that you may find helpful is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Another resource that you might find helpful is To Write Love on Her Arms, which is a blog that shares experiences of people who have depression or have been suicidal. Their website is twloha.com. You’re not alone!
Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out by phone if you need additional resources or need help figuring out your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and our lines are always open. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Stay safe!

[Guest]

Hi, I'm also 12 years old and a girl and thinking of running away. It's not like my parents have seriously done anything to me, but they have hit me really hard several times and call me really bad things. They are really nice to my older brother but hate me for some reason. Like one time my dad came home from work and immediately came upstairs to my room and started tormenting me again about how stupid I was. I was listening to music so I couldn't hear him, so he pulled it off my head then just hit me with it. I didn't understand why he got so mad, because my mom was for once nice to me that day. I've noticed that they started doing these things since I was about 10 years old, and it just kept on getting worse. I have threatened that I'll run away, and they just say, "Why should we care?". I want to run away because I'm afraid it will get even worse when I get older, but I also don't want to run away because I don't know how I will survive. What should I do? Please help!!!

[ccsmod15]

Thank you for contacting us at the National Runaway Safeline. It takes a lot of courage to reach out for help and we are glad that you decided to reach out to us.
It sounds you are going through a hard time. It is not ok for anyone to physically hurt you. If you ever feel your life is in danger and your parents might hurt you, you can call 911. If it might be an option for you, you could call Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453 and they can provide you more information on how to file an abuse report. Taking pictures of any abuse marks can be helpful to serve as evidence in the court of law. Running away can be hard in many cases. You might want to think about where you might stay and how you might pay for food and other living expenses. You could also look at National Safe places at http://www.nationalsafeplace.org/find-a-safe-place. If it might be an option for you, you could us at our confidential 24 hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY(786-2929) and we would be happy to listen to you, explore your options and provide any resources. With your parents’ permission you could stay with any family members or friends.
You are acting strong by reaching out for help in overwhelming situation. We wish you the best and jope to hear from you soon.

If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

hey I'm 12 and I'm thinking of running away I get abused ,people bully me, have no parents you name it is just not safe also my grandmother keeps trying to take all the money ive saved for her own wishes without asking me and when i mean take she takes hundreds of dollors from me that ive saved and doesnt give it back at all...I've been saving up to make sure I'm ready but I don't want to leave just yet

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a difficult situation. You don’t deserve to be abused or bullied (no one does!) and we’re sorry to hear that your grandmother is taking the money you work hard to save. If you are being abused, you have the right to file an abuse report. You can do that a couple ways. First, you could talk to a teacher or a guidance counselor at school about what’s going on. They are “mandated reporters,” meaning that they are legally required to report any abuse they hear about. Another thing you could do is contact your local child protective services to file a report yourself. For more information on how to file a report or about what would happen if you do decide to make a report, you can call Child Help: 1-800-422-4453. You can also use their live chat feature on their website, childhelp.org.
It sounds like you’re thinking about running away. Though we are not legal experts, we can say that you generally need to be 18 to leave without your guardian’s consent. If you leave before that, your grandma would have the right to file a runaway report and if the police are able to locate you they may return you home. That being said, we understand that some situations make it unsafe for you to stay home. If you do choose to leave, it would be a good idea to consider the following: where you would go, who you would stay with, how you would get there, and how you would be able to support yourself. It can be dangerous to leave without a plan, so we encourage you to take your safety seriously. If you need help safety planning, you can always give us a call. We are non-judgemental and confidential, and we are open 24/7!
Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out by phone if you need additional resources or need help figuring out your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and our lines are always open. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Stay safe!

[Guest]

HI i'm 13 years old and i lie with my mom and dad. i posted a video about saying some bad words on social media with my best friend we accidentally posted it most of the people that's saw it were from my dads family and the others where kids in my school. the adults that saw it send t to my dad. Today June 9 2018 my dad called me in the room yelling at me and my mom was protecting me when he threw a shoe at me. he was threatening me with things like wait till i get my hands on you and ill break your two legs. obviously i was crying my lungs out my dad was like this when i got in deep trouble at school because of a fart bomb . i tried suicide attempts before but i backed out thinking about my mom who loves me and would die if i kill myself. i'm truly scared of my dad he hits me hard. this one time i touched his gun and our house cleaner in Dominican republic catch me and told him and he hit each of my hands hard 20 times with the belt. i fell abused when it comes to my dad. when i think about running way a think about where will i go and that i need money and i need to be careful and what if i get raped and what if i get kidnapped. I don't have any siblings to protect me my twin sister died in my moms belly. ilove my dads family but after that video and the situation that's is going on right now i'm scared to see them and i'm scared to go home to my dad in a while i'm at this meditation place right now with my om and uncle thry meditate and my mom brought me cause i didn't want to stay home with my dad after what happened today earlier.

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at NRS. It sounds like a tough situation you are in, nobody deserves to be abused. It is a huge first step to reach out, that is something worth being proud of.

It sounds like there is a lot going on. If you feel like you are being abused, there are a couple options that might be worth considering. The first would be talking with somebody if you felt comfortable. It sounds like you have already talked with your mom/she is aware of the situation. Having a very open conversation with her about what is going on and how you are feeling can sometimes allow for the situation to be truly discussed and sometimes there might be options discussed that you may not have known about before. Another option may be filing an abuse report. This can typically be done at your local police department or over the phone with them. If this is something you are interested in you could call us at our 24/7 toll free hotline at 1(800)786-2929, and we could talk through it some more.

You had mentioned having a thoughts of suicide before. Suicide is a serious matter and it shows a lot that you are open to talking about it, that shows a lot that. Thank you. It also showed a lot that you thought about your mother and how she would be affected, it sounds like you and your mother may have a close relationship, would she be somebody you would be willing to talk about these kinds of things with? If not, we are always here for you and more than happy to talk through these kinds of situations, you could also reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1(800)273-8255.

Another thing you talked about was running away from home. Leaving home can be a serious matter if not done so with the proper resources. There are a lot of things to consider when leaving home and we would be more than happy to talk those through with you, as well as provide resources if you choose to do so.

It sounds like there is a lot going on but it is huge that you reached out to us to talk. We are always here for you and happy to talk anytime.

Best of luck,
NRS

[Guest]

hi. i’m 12, almost 13 and i have two little brothers. my parents always take their sides and they always lie. i end up getting in trouble because of them. i also feel like my parents hate me. they get mad when i ask if i can go to a friends house and they ground me. i always think about running away and then i think about how they’d feel. i know they love me but they need to show it. i don’t know if i have depression because i always think, “how would i kill myself if i did?” or “how would everybody react if i killed myself?” i’m considering running to my friend’s house because i went over it with her and we have a plan. i just don’t know what to do. they’re not abusive or drugaddicts or alcoholics but i don’t feel like they like me. it’s probably because they went and screwed around and got pregnant at 18 then decided, “we don’t believe in abortions so i guess we’re gonna have a baby.” they admitted that i was a mistake and ever since then, they act like i’m not even here. just plz help me.

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We're here 24/7 to listen and to support.

We're sorry to hear about what has been going on and want you to know that you deserve to feel safe and happy in your home. It takes a lot of courage to reach out, so we're glad you did. Your life is valuable and there are people that want to listen and help. If you want to talk to someone about your depression or your thoughts of killing yourself, please don't hesitate to reach out. You can always contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 anytime.

It would be really hard to feel like your parents don't like you or are unfair with their house rules. Do you have another adult in your life, like other family, that you feel like can advocate for you to them? It can be difficult to have a conversation with your parents if you feel that they'll only get angry. Sometimes it can be helpful to have another adult around when you’re trying to talk to them so that they can stand up for you and try to keep the conversation calm and fair. That person could be a guidance counselor, other family member, or any other adult you trust. Here at NRS, we also offer a conference call service and can help you have that conversation with your parents. Our number is 1-800-786-2929.

You also mentioned wanting to leave to go to a friend's house. We are not legal experts, but can tell you that because you are a minor, if you leave home and your parents file a runaway report, you would be returned home. There could also be legal consequences for your friend and their parents for what is called harboring a runaway. Give the Suicide Hotline or us a call so that we could walk through your options with you and be there for support. We're here to listen. Here to help.

Stay safe,

NRS

[Guest]

Hi I’m 13 turning 14 this year and I’m considering tuning away with my friend. But we’ll only run away if we don’t culminate 8th grade. This is because our parents will discipline us physically. Not abuse or anything but we’re just really scared and we are going to try but my dad gets REALLY mad and sometimes says stuff to me verbally abusing. But we have it planned out. But I’m not sure who we are going to stay with. I was thinking my uncle but I don’t know because then he might get us caught and turn us in. Or maybe my cousin but idk if also he’ll turn us in. We need an adult to stay with and to enroll us in school. We’re taking a bus to our destination and we have most planned out but the main part. I need help.

[ccsmod4]

Reply: Hi I’m 13 turning 14 this year

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. It sounds like you and a friend are thinking about running away from home but would like to go over your plan of survival. That’s a good idea on your part.
Your safety is important.
We want you to know that we are here to listen as support for you and your friend at this challenging time. Sometimes it can be helpful to talk and explore options that perhaps have not been thought of. 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 in detail and share more about 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 at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 14 and want to run away





My life at home has been nothing but tears and wanting to kill myself I stuck inside I love my family but I'm not happy with myself I don't want my family to be mad at me but I'm going through depression, anxiety, and im suicidal I need help on where to go and how to get there I have no money food or a place to go please help me I really need it

[ccsmod5]

Hey there,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It can be really difficult going through depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. It takes a lot of courage to reach out for help, so that’s something to be proud of. You deserve to be somewhere where you feel loved and supported. While it may feel like you’re alone right now, there is help for you and there are people who love you. Based on your message, it’s clear that you are strong and brave. We really encourage you to confide in an adult you trust about what you’ve been feeling. You mentioned that you love your family—they could be a great resource for you. You are loved, we promise you that. If you ever feel like you’re in immediate danger of hurting yourself, you can always call 9-1-1. Another number that could be useful is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800273-8255. You wrote that you’re “not happy” with yourself. You’re not alone in this; it can be a difficult to love yourself sometimes, especially when you’re facing such strong depression and anxiety, but we promise you are worth loving. Sometimes it can be helpful to read or hear about the experiences of other youth who are going through something similar; if this is true for you, a really great resource is To Write Love on Her Arms at twloha.com. You might consider asking your family to talk with a therapist or counselor. If you need help finding an affordable mental health resource in your area, you can call the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration referral line: 1-877-726-4727.
As far as running away, we are not legal experts but can share some general information. Since you are 14, you would need parental consent to stay elsewhere. You can consider asking your parents for permission to stay with a friend or another family member. Another option may be a shelter, but keep in mind that many shelters would need to get in touch with your parents. If you need help finding a shelter resource near you, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929.
Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out by phone if you need additional resources or need help figuring out your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and our lines are always open. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

I am 15 and I wanaa runaway because is that I feel my my parents don’t love me and my sister called me a hoe

[ccsmod15]

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.

It sounds like things are so overwhelming at home that is making you runaway from home. You don’t deserve to be called names and treated like that. Talking to other family members and friends can be helpful in many situations. Family counseling can be helpful in many situations. If it might be an option for you, you could call the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration referral line at 1-877-726-4727. You are not alone and we are here to support you through this. While we are not legal experts since you are under 18 and if leave home with your parents’ permission they can file a runaway report and the police can bring you back home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. You could also call us at our 24 hour confidential hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or live chat with us and we will be happy to listen to your, explore your options and provide any resources.

You are acting strong by reaching out for help in this hard situation. We wish you the best and hope to hear from you soon.

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

Be safe,
NRS