ughh

[Guest]

im 15 years old and I still sleep on a couch its been like this for years I hate it. I am grateful that I still have a roof over my head and food but it's been like this for way to long. My step dad always find something to be mad about. Everyday there is always a problem either something is missing or broken witch automatically gets blamed on me since Im the youngest. I had a blood related brother that lives with us and we are constantly always in trouble and have no freedom. I don't hangout with my friends or go out a lot that much but when I do my mom or step dad is constantly calling me to yell to me about something and embarrass me in front of my friends. My friends think my family is crazy. I have no privacy at all in this house. I was molested by my step dads son but I have to be silent on the subject because no one will believe me. My step dad constantly like to bring me down he called me a b*tch and call me a hood rat and told me I was a accident the day before my birthday. He always takes my phone away for the smallest things and he yells at me so much I get scared when he is mad because I am afraid one of these days he might hit me. One time he has gotten so mad at my brother he punched a hole in the wall. My only personal space is a small closet and sometimes im forced to sleep in there when I am grounded. I want to run away or do something... I don't know what to do he always threatens to send me to foster care or send me away to my dad. (my real dad lives far away from me). My mom clearly doesn't care she just sits and watches everything. She doesn't even treat me like her daughter she spends more time with my step dads daughter who also lives with us and freeloads here... Im sick of leaving here. Today I was trying to explain to my mom on why I was absent in one class and I didn't know my step dad was listening to our convo the whole time because he was turned the other way on their bed so I assumed he was asleep and he was mumbling something I couldn't understand but then I calmly told him I wasn't talking to him which I got slapped for twice by my mom and he got in my face yelling at me. This Is nothing new tho this type of stuff happens everyday around here(((

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us. We recognize that it takes a lot of courage to reach out for help, and want you to know that it is never ok for anyone to make you feel unsafe at home. No one has the right to be abusive towards you, and you deserve to live in a space where you are safe. We are so sorry that the situation at home with your mom and stepdad has gotten so difficult. We can’t tell you what to do, but we will share as much information as we can to help you figure out your next steps.

It's important for you to know that you have the right to report any abuse that you may have experienced to your local child protective services agency, regardless of whether your mom and stepdad want you to. It sounds like both you and your brother have had experiences at home that have made both of you feel unsafe, and we want you to know that this is never ok. Organizations like Child Help, available by phone at 1.800.442.4453 and online at https://www.childhelp.org/ can help you identify the agency near you. If you have questions about what reporting might entail, or if you want someone to help you make the call, please feel free to reach out to us.

As you discussed in your message, leaving is another option that you have to address your situation. We are not legal experts, but from what we understand, if you are considered a minor in your state and you leave without consent, it’s important to know that your parents or legal guardians may be able to file a runaway report with your local police department. Having a case with your local child protective services may or may not make a difference in what happens with local police, but the best way to know what might happen is to reach out to your local police department at their non-emergency number to ask. If you do choose to leave, it is important to make sure that you’ve considered how long you’d be gone, where you’d stay, how you’d support yourself, and what you can do to keep yourself safe.

Whatever you decide, please know that we are here to support you. We will do our best to help you explore your options and provide as much information and resources to help you stay as safe as possible as you take your next steps. Please feel free to reach out to us by phone or chat if you’d like more information. You can reach us 24/7 at 1.800.RUNAWAY (786.2929) or via chat at https://www.1800runaway.org/ . We’re here to listen, here to help. Stay safe!

-NRS