I need to free myself

[Guest]

I want to runaway as far from my family as I can get they cause stress and I need to gtfo it’s gotten to a point where I just don’t feel at home or loved what so ever. The only thing holding me back is that I’m 17

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We’re sorry to hear that the way you’re being treated at home has you to the point where you feel like you need to leave. Everyone deserves to feel loved by their family and have a place that they can call home.


While we are not legal experts, we do have a great deal of experience working with runaways. It is not illegal to run away. Your parent/guardian could file a runaway report on you but this would NOT mean that you would get arrested or charged with anything. It typically does mean that the police could return you home if they encountered you and that would be that. Police typically do not actively search for a runaway youth. However, they will go where the parent/guardian directs them if they know where you are staying. Additionally, police can sometimes be more lenient about runaway situations the closer you are to 18. You can attempt to calmly and respectfully deny them consent to touch you or take you anywhere, and they may give up on trying to return you home. They also may not, in which case you should comply with what they tell you to do for your safety.


Depending on where you are, you may be able to leave at 17. We would be happy to check for you if you want to call in. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.


Take care,

NRS