I'm 12 and I want to run Away.

[Guest]

Hi I'm 12 and I wanna run away, my parents abuse me for getting supposedly "bad grades" I get A's and B's but they say that's that's not enough for them. My mother hits me because I don't do things fast enough she call's me an "idiot" and a "whore" my father does things that I don't want to type because they are very inappropriate. I just want it all to end. I need help. Please tell me what to do.

[ccsmod13]

Hello,

Thank you so much for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. No one deserves to be abused, and you are very courageous and brave for seeking help. We are here to help - you are not alone!

It sounds like you are experiencing verbal and physical abuse at home. A helpful next step would be to call the National Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 422-4453 or reach out to their website at www.childhelphotline.org. Filing an abuse report can get you the help you need - however, if you ever feel that you are in immediate danger, please contact 911. If you do not feel comfortable filing an abuse report yourself but still want to make us, you can give our hotline a call and we can file the report on your behalf. Your safety is our top priority.

If you want to talk further about the details of your situation and access more resources, you can call us anytime at (800) 786-2929, or live chat us at www.1800runaway.org. We are available 24/7 to assist you.

Thank you again for reaching out to us, and stay safe.
NRS

[Guest]

hi im 12 my name is zack and my mom hits me and abuses me and i want to run away and find a new family and i dont have ant other family what should i do please i want to go to a different family thats nice and good please help me

[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 you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now and you mentioned being harmed. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. You may also be 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. They can tell you more about how CPS could respond to your situation. If you ever need assistance calling out to CPS to make an abuse or neglect report please call is at 1-800-RUNAWAY.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. 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 please chat soon through our website www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in. We unfortunately cannot give advice as we are non-directive. You know your situation best
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I am a 12 year old girl. The reason why I felt like running away was because me and my family have a really bad experience together. We never get along. My dad listened to my mom's lies and gets me in trouble for no reason and my mom only tells lies for attention. She wants to abandoned me and so I decided to make her wish come true. I want to run away and find a home for myself because I wanted my own peace. I wanted to live a better life and not make my problems come back to me again. I don't want foster parents because it would fel like it would happen again. My parents called me bad words in both English and Spanish. They even said in front of my face they will abandon me because they hate my guts and my personality. They had been abusive ever since I was three. My mother doesn't give cares about me and so does my dad. I want to leave now but I'm afraid of the people because they recently can't always be trustworthy enough. So, yeah, that's why I wanna leave.

[ccsmod6]

We’re so glad you reached out to NRS. It sounds like you’ve been dealing with so much for so long, and it’s understandable you’d be thinking about a way out of that situation. The behavior you’re describing from your parents is abuse, and it is never okay. You have the right to report that abuse at any time by telling a teacher or counselor at school, calling the police, or reaching out to an abuse reporting hotline. There are a lot of different outcomes to reporting abuse, and minors are usually only placed outside the home as a last resort. If you want to know more about what the process might look like or what the outcomes could be, please reach out to the confidential National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.

If you are thinking about leaving home, the most important thing to keep in mind is your personal safety. You mentioned you think the people you want to leave with/stay with aren’t trustworthy, which can be a big red flag. At NRS, we hear from people all the time who find themselves in scary situations because people they trusted to give them transportation or shelter weren’t trustworthy. If you want to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929, we can talk through some different options and help you find safe resources in your area like youth shelters.

It takes a really strong person to get through a decade of abuse and still reach out for help, and it shows a lot of maturity that you are researching all your options before making your next move. You deserve to have your own peace, and it’s unfair that you’re in this situation. We are here for you 24/7 if you want to talk more.

[Guest]

Hello! I'm 12 and I'm thinking of running away.

I don't feel safe at home. My dad verbally abuses me and my sister, if we don't do what he wants us to do he'll start insulting us. Sometimes it gets really bad and I have to lock myself in my room. He also doesn't listen to me and laughs at some of my remarks, saying what I say is outrageous and delusional. He also shows more affection to Horse Racing than he ever has to me, my sister, or my mom. And I understand my mom has good intentions, yet she also doesn't seem to be that cooperative with me, and can sometimes snap. Once, the fighting in my house was so drastic the police were called, and my parents blamed it on me and my sister.

I do have a plan to run away. My friends are supportive, even if they don't encourage the idea. One of my friends has a shed and some woods behind their house I can hide in, and I already know the necessities I need and I have the Childline phone number memorized. I also have money saved up. The main reason I don't file an abuse report or attempt to run away (at the moment, I probably will in the future) is I'm scared of my parent's reaction. If I get caught and brought home, my mom will probably yell at me, call me a spoiled brat, but my dad... I don't even know what he'll do. I'm really scared of him and what's he capable of. I'm scared of any of these feelings being shared with my parents. I'm scared of them, but I don't want them to know. I don't trust them, not one bit.

What do you recommend to do?

[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 you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now and you mentioned being harmed. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. You may also be 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. They can tell you more about how CPS could respond to your situation. If you ever need assistance calling out to CPS to make an abuse or neglect report please call is at 1-800-RUNAWAY.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. 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 please chat soon through our website www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in. We unfortunately cannot give advice as we are non-directive. You know your situation best
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello I am 11 and wanna run away. My parents whenever I say I'm depressed go ugh you're not depressed and they always tell at me for the sallest things. Something's they yell at me for Asking a question yell at me for being a little to loud and have called me a ********** to my face and they've called me an *expletive* and I'm just upright tired of it I clean sometimes and I do the dishes and they pay me back like this? And I'm just here like bruh I ********in clean for you.

[ccsmod15]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are going through a really hard time at home, and we are glad you have contacted us for help.
It is important you know that you do not deserve to be emotionally abused by your parents. Home should be a place where you are safe and supported, not called names and disrespected. It sounds like this has been going on for a while. It also sounds like they do not believe that you are depressed, which is unfair to you. You deserve to be supported through this. It can be helpful when dealing with depression and a difficult home life to seek out the things that make you feel better. Journaling, drawing listening to music, going for walks, and hanging with friends are all examples of this. You may consider reaching out to a school counselor as well, since you often do not need parental permission to see a counselor. If you are looking for a clinical counselor, you might consider enlisting the help of other adults in your life, like family members, to speak to your parents about this need.
This must be very hard, and only you can decide what is best for you to do. As you move forward, it may be helpful to reach out to friends or other family members about what is going on at home.
If you ever want to call us, we are a completely anonymous and confidential hotline, and are available to talk 24/7. We would be so glad to help you out by finding more resources, or even just talking.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 12 and i want to run away.



I’m 12 and I want to run away. My dad is mean he has called me the b****, brat, retard and more. I have a stepmom she hates me. She lies and blames everything on me and my dad falls for it. He always think I’m lying. Yells at me because the dishes aren’t perfect and my grades also how I’m acting at home. I used back talk I don’t I just say ok and still get yelled at. My stepmom has kicked me in the leg. She also said I wanna shove a knife down your throat, dad got mad at her for that. She left and blamed it on me, and my dad asked how I felt I said “I don’t feel anything". Because I didn’t, I was hurt so much from my childhood and now. He told me it’s ok to feel things. But he used to tell me every time I cry I’m feeling sorry for myself, so I gave up all together on feeling things. And now I see my mom everything I do wrong I get a day taken from seeing her (and I haven't seen her in 5 years until now). I have had the cops called on me because I took my step moms I pod when I was like 8. He told me my stepmom (Justina) is like my mom so I thought we can share things. But I guess not. My dad doesn’t listen to me and I want to leave and go to my mom. I’m done living here. I HATE IT.

[ccsmod4]

Hello,
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 you’re quite overwhelmed by things in your life right now.
It sounds like you’re fearing that the stress from the situation is getting harder and harder to handle.
We are sorry you are going through a tough emotional time.
You never deserve to be abused and it is not your fault that she behaved that way towards you.
Sometimes when things are too stressful it might help to talk with someone about it.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. This may be an isolating and lonely time for you, but you are not alone in this.
NRS is here to listen and here to help.
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 please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
You are welcome to discuss your situation and talk about possible options for help. What you did today by reaching out was great. Good job.
We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

im 12 and i want to run away.
i feel like im in so much pressure, im in a magnet school and my mom always hitts me against the ground when i get a bad grade. They expect highkly of me but i cant anyore. My mom recently told me that she hates me, she hits me whenever she can and im tired of it. i have prepared everything. I have enough money saved for 4 weeks food. i will stay at one of my friends house as a sleepover the day after i leave after that i will go to a runaway home . i would have to walk atleast 3 miles away to be safe and my friend has a working phone i can use so i dont have to use mine. i wont raise any charges against my mom but i wont be going back. i wanna go to a normal school and not stress so much. do u think this is a good idea.

[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 you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now and you mentioned being harmed. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. You may also be 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. They can tell you more about how CPS could respond to your situation. If you ever need assistance calling out to CPS to make an abuse or neglect report please call is at 1-800-RUNAWAY.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. 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 please chat soon through our website www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in. We unfortunately cannot give advice as we are non-directive. You know your situation best
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi im 12 and I just did something that really scares me. During school i was playing a video game and my mom is not home yet but my dad told her and im really scared. I know im going to get in trouble so yea im scared an wanna runaway to make sure i dont get in trouble. BUT IM TO SCARED TO DO IT AND IM HAVING THESE THOUGHHTS AND IM GETTING SCARED I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO PLZ HELP!

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to listen and here to provide support.
It is understandable that you are afraid but everyone makes mistakes sometimes. You could consider talking with your mother about playing the video game. Also if you are afraid of the punishment one option to consider would be speaking with a school counselor and they can help you with options.
We are not legal experts but we do have some information on the laws. If you were to leave home without permission your legal guardian could file a runaway report. If the police were to find you they most likely would bring you back home.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options please give us a call. We are here to help and here to listen. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

i have a lot of problems that are going on right now.....

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It takes a lot of courage to reach out and it sound like you are going through a frustrating time right now. If you would like you can always reach out to us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat so that we can talk more about the issues you are facing at the moment and help you sort through a plan. It’s important to remember that you are not alone and that you can reach us 24/7. There is someone here to listen to you and help as much as possible. Another great resource is Child Help, the National Child Abuse Hotline. Their number is (800) 422-4453 and their goal is to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children if your safety is a concern. Good Luck and thank you again for reaching out.

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 12 and my mom beats me it srarted in 5th grade buut it got wrose wwhen I got into 6th and 7th grade I need to leave this house.

[ccsmod15]

Hello –

Thank you for contacting us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We understand that it takes great courage to reach out. We are sorry to hear about your situation, no one deserves to be treated that way, especially by someone who is supposed to be a support system for you.

It is important to know that you have options and resources to help advocate for yourself. A great resource for you could be the National Child Abuse Hotline. You can reach them at 1-800-422-4453. You can call them anonymously to learn about the abuse reporting process, or directly report abuse to this line. They are a good resource for talking through your options if there is verbal/physical abuse going on at home.

To discuss options for leaving home, please give us a call 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) so we can learn more about your situation to better help you.

We hope the information provided helps. Remember we are available 24/7 and can be toll-free reached at the number listed above. We are confidential, anonymous, and non-direct. We can also be reached via live chat anytime.

Best Wishes

~NRS

[Guest]

I’m 12 and want to run away to my girlfriend



my mom and her boyfriend hate me because I’m lesbian and her bf hurts me mentally and physically what do I do...

[ccsmod0]

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]

i am 11 almost 12 but my mom is abosive and my real dad dies but my moms boyfriend used me.... i ust dont know what to do i am thinking about running away at midnight....

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are going through a difficult time and we want you to know you are not alone.
Abuse is never okay and we are sorry you are going through that, but you do have the right to make a report. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911 and a police officer would be able to help you. If you wish to make a report you can call Child Help at 1800-422-4453. You can also call us or chat with us and we can help you with making a report.
Also we know you mentioned wanting to run away, we are not legal experts but we do have some information. If you were to leave without permission your legal guardian could file a runaway report. Because you are a minor, if the police were to find you they most likely would bring you back home.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options, please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

im 12 and i want to run away already. i just feel worthless and my dad is always comparing me to my brothers saying "why cant you be like ______" stuff like that. He gets mad at the littles crap and is always showing an attitude to everyone, and expects everyone to treat him like a freaking king or sum. I'm already suffering from severe depression and anxiety, and getting verbally abused every day doesn't help, I've been clean from self-harm for a few weeks, but I started again last week because I'm just going insane with everything. i try to stand up for myself and it always goes to the same thing, "you're just exaggerating, get over it" I've tried suicide 3 times already and I'm planning my runaway and where I'm going. imma go live with my mom, and if that doesn't work out, I can live with my friend, I've met her mom before and shes really supportive about everything, so it might go well for plan b. I'm thinking about starting a singing career too, just for some quick cash. someone help please, I'm going insane.

[ccsmod16]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline – we are here to help and listen!

We’re sorry to hear that you have experienced abuse in your home, you don’t deserve to be hurt by the people you live with. You have a right to file a child abuse report, and can do so to the ChildHelp Hotline 1-800-422-4453.

Since moving out under the age of 18 years old is such a common question that we get and can be easily found, we aren’t going to get into what would happen if you left without permission from your legal guardian. If you have some specific questions that you want to ask us or maybe find a place to vent about what you are feeling right now you can reach out to us via our 24-hour hotline and online chat.

You mentioned thoughts of suicide and self harm, and I’d like to leave you with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255), it is a 24/7 crisis hotline. Another helpful option could be to access a school counselor or mental health professional in your area, sometimes it is helpful to have difficult conversations with family when there is a third person involved.

If you’d like to discuss these options further, we would be happy to talk to you via our 24/7 hotline (1-800-786-2929) or through our chat feature.

Best of luck,

National Runaway Safeline

[Guest]

I’m 12 too and my mom does that to me too and she is yelling at me right now for not doing my work which I did and she tries to hit me with a paddle and a belt.

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are going through a difficult time.
If you believe that you are being abused, you do have a right to make a report. You can make a report by talking with a school counselor. Also you can call Child Help at 1800-422-4453 and they would be able to help you with making a report.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any more questions or would like to explore more options, please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I am 11 years turning 12 next month November 2020,I'm getting older and we'll I want to run away from all my family mates everyone who is related to me,I have a little brother who accuses me of wrong doing and they believe that,he gets all the attention and anything he wants he's basically a spoiled brat,they are taking away everything from me that makes me happy, Im starting to feel anger,sadness and depression, I've cut myself once when calling myself a mistake but this time I don't want too I want to be with a new family,my family does accept me for who I am I wish they would I just wanna be free but I have to wait until I'm 18,my mom is a single parent who lives with her mother and her sister they don't get along so it makes it hard to talk to them mm plus they don't like me at times,I want to run away but I'm scared because my mom will beat me with anything,wood,a belt and her hand anything, I'm crying while writing this I just want to get out of this hell hole god created for Me I want to start over with a new family,HELP ME PLEASE! I can't stay here any longer,I almost ran away at the ge of 6 and at the age of 9 after school,I want to be placed in an other family a happy one not where I'm from anywhere in America just get me somewhere where I will never see them again please just please help send help. I'M from Trinidad and Tobago..if you do sent help I want everything they gibe m me to go with me just some stuff,pleasee I'm begging this might be my last straw and I'll take mm my on life if I can't find happiness.Please answer back,My name is ****

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, it takes great courage to reach out and we are so glad you decided to reach out to us!
We are sorry that you are feeling depressed and that you are having issues with your sibling, we want you to know that you are not alone. One option to consider would be to talk with a school counselor or a trusted adult about what is going on. Sometimes talking to someone can help provide support and a different outlook on things. You can also consider doing things that you enjoy to keep yourself busy.
Unfortunately, we are unfamiliar with the laws in Trinidad as we are located in the United States. But typically if you do runaway as a minor the police can bring you home. If there is abuse going on you can report the abuse. In Trinidad to report abuse you can call 996 or 800-2014.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. Best of luck!
NRS