Abusive family

[Guest]

Hi I am running away tonight because of my family and I wanted to get a ride up to new york to a ruanway shelter but I dont have money or anyway to drive what do i do

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to write us here at NRS. It sounds like there is a lot that you are faced with at home and you are feeling that running away might be your best option. It's understandable to want to get space from stressful or overwhelming options.

You mentioned wanting to go to a youth shelter but not having a ride. If you call our hotline at 1-800-786-2929 or use our live chat at 1800runaway.org, we would be happy to search our database for resources that are more accessible to you. Additionally, The National Safeplace website might be helpful as well. (www.nationalsafeplace.org). This organization provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need. You can look up your city and state to see if there are any safe places near you listed. So that is always an option if you feel like talking to someone in person about what has been going on or if you just need of a safe place to stay. You can also use their TXT 4 HELP free service offered to all youth in crisis. It’s quick, easy, safe, and confidential:
·         Text the word “safe” and your current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357).

·         Within seconds, you will receive a message with the closest Safe Place site and phone number for the local youth agency.

·         For immediate help, reply with “2chat” to text interactively with a trained counselor. 

It would be helpful to consider how your parents might respond, how long you are hoping to stay away for, and if you plan to continue attending school. Because you are under the age of 18, your parents do still have some control in where you live. If you leave without permission they can report you as a runaway to the police and have you returned home. If there are any safety concerns at home, you do have the option to report this to police and child protective services. Child Help is an organization that protects youth from being harmed and can tell you more about how CPS might be able to help in your situation.

If you would like to talk more about your situation and explore all of your possible options, please do not hesitate to reach out by phone or live chat!

Be safe,
NRS