i want to run away but im scared

[Guest]

my dad has physically abused me for as long as i can remember. I want to run away but i am so scared that he will find me. If i tell on him they will laugh at me and i will stay at home or live in foster care! i want niether of those things. I want to get on a plane and fly far away. Im scared that the police will find me or that i will die because i will have no money. Im so scared. I dont know what else to say besides i am desperate and i want out!!!

[ccsmod0]

Re: i want to run away but im scared

Thank you for posting a bulletin and reaching out to the National Runaway Switchboard. We are so sorry to hear about what you have been going through. Everyone has the right to feel safe at home and it sounds like home hasn’t been a safe place for you. It is understandable that you would want to take a plane to get away. We are sorry that you are feeling scared and it is understandable that why you’re feeling desperate. We are here to help you though! There are also services that can ensure that you are safe. We want you to be safe no matter what you decide to do.

It sounds like you have thought about what might happen if you leave. The police don't always go looking for runaway youth. However, if you are picked up by the police and they run your name in their data base; they may see that you are a runaway if your dad has reported you as such. If you disclose to the police that there is abuse at home then they will contact Child Protective Services to ensure your safety. Have you ever runaway before? Here are some other things to think about before leaving:

• What else can I do to improve my home situation before I leave?
• What would make me stay at home?
• How will I survive?
• Is running away safe?
• Who can I count on to help me?
• Am I being realistic?
• Have I given this enough thought?
• What are my other options?
• If I end up in trouble, who will I call?
• When I return home, what will happen?

Does anyone else know about the abuse you have been experiencing (friend, teacher, relative, counselor or someone you trust)? Sometimes it may feel unless scary knowing that we have other person to talk to about the abuse and how we are feeling. Have you considered talking to Child Protective Services (CPS)? If you would like to make a report or want information about abuse and your safety, then they can assist with that. CPS can assist with identifying, treating, and reducing child abuse and or neglect. They want to make sure efforts are made to protect and maintain your safety at home. You can make a report with CPS of any abuse and/or neglect if you would like. CPS will take the information and determine what their next step will be. You can ask them also what they will do next. The more information you can provide to CPS will help to build her case. Also anyone that knows about the abuse can make a report on your behalf. You can be made anonymous call to them if you would just like more information as to how they might handle the situation, so that your confidentiality is maintained. You can contact Child Help USA at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (422-4453) or you can view their website: http://www.childhelp.org/ for more information. But if you feel like you’re in immediate danger, then you should call 911.

Justice for the Children is another service that is outside of the police and CPS. They are a national child advocacy organization to help you if there might be inadequate and/or failure to protect you from abuse or neglect. You can reach them at 1-800-733-0059 or you can view their website at: http://www.justiceforchildren.org .

We are a 24/7 non-judging, anonymous and confidential crisis line. We are here to help process through situation, discuss option in more detail, provide local resources/referrals and assist in making conference calls to other services or agencies. We do want to let you know that if we get identifying information (age, city, state, address, phone number and name (s) of alleged abuser (s)), then we would be mandated to report abuse. Also we want to you know who are other mandated reporters, which means the following people/agencies by law would have to report any or alleged abuse/neglect: Social Services, teachers, counselors, doctors. However, we do not determine what is or is not abuse though. We want you to feel comfortable in calling us. Our number is 1-800RUNAWAY (786-2929). You are welcome to call at any time you are ready. We look forward in hear from you and wish you the best. Please be safe in the mean time!


Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

My parents dont love me and have abused me for as long as i can remember. i wanna run but im so scared what am i supposed to do

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you have been harmed at home and are feeling unloved. That seems incredibly hard to deal with and you do not deserve to be harmed in anyway. It's so understandable that you are feeling scared, and it was really brave of you to reach out for help. You so deserve to live in a home that is free of violence.

If you are under 18, you do have the right to report any abuse that is going on in your household to child protective services (CPS). If CPS investigates and finds the abuse highly dangerous you would be removed from the home. To learn more about your reporting options you might reach out to the expert child advocates at Child Help 1-800-422-4453. If you are over 18, depending on your majority age you do have the right to move out without permission. If that is your situation, you might start thinking about what you need to do to safely move out of your house and to have your financial needs met.

If you are a minor, you might reach out to the National Safe Place if you need to get to a safe place immediately. Text the word “safe” and your current location (city/state/zip) to 69866 and a counselor will come on the line to help you get to a safe place.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you would like additional resources or support. We truly want to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

my parents don'tlove me the hit me the beat me i want to run away but i'm scared to be alone.

[ccsmod5]

Thanks so much for reaching out. It sounds like you’ve been through a lot and we want you to know that you’re not alone. You never deserve to be beaten or harmed; your parents should love and cherish you, and you deserve to feel safe in your own home.
You might consider reaching out to the National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453. They can help you report the abusive situation and/or walk you through what that process might look like.
Another option is asking your parents if you can stay with a friend or another family member; if they consent, there shouldn’t be any legal issues generally. While we’re not legal experts, we can speak in generalities. If you leave home without parental consent, your parents have the right to file a runaway report. If the police are able to locate you, they generally return home. Any adult you stay with may be charged with harboring a runaway, though this is rare. If, however, you disclose the abuse to the police, they generally do not return you home without investigating the situation further. If you decide to leave home, you might consider the following: where you’ll go, who you might stay with, where you’ll get food and income, and whether you have clothes for warm and cold temperatures.
If you’d like to speak about your situation more specifically, please feel free to reach out to us at the National Runaway Safeline: 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929). Again, thank you for reaching out. You’re brave to look out for your own safety and well-being. You deserve to feel safe, happy, supported, and loved. Best of luck.

[Guest]

My parents dont care for me my mom is always calling me names bad names and they really hurt i told someone about it but she didnt help and i dont want to stay in this house i want to leave i want to run away but im scared if i do what if i get hurt what if they find me i will do anything to get out of this house please help me.

[ccsmod16]

Hello there, thanks so much for reaching out! It sounds like your living situation is incredibly hard and stressful! You do not deserve to be treated so poorly and we are here to help!
We know you mentioned being called bad names by your mom and that your parents do not care about you. That must be so hurtful!! If you feel this is abuse, you do have a right to report it and learn more about other options like living with someone else. Child Help can help with these types of questions: 1-800-422-4453, childhelp.org.
We can also conference call with you to make a report if you want. Call us anytime at 1-800-786-2929.
As far as running away, to leave home legally, in most states you have to be 18 and if you leave before that, your parents could file a runaway report with police and if they find you, they usually take you back home. If you left and were found by police and you disclosed any type of abuse to them, they likely would contact child protective services.
We are sorry to hear the person you spoke to about this was not helpful. We are here to support you 24/7: call us anytime at 1-800-786-2929 or on live chat when it is available in the afternoons and evenings. We are here to help you! Best of luck! Call or reach out again anytime!

[Guest]

I want to run away but I"m scared I get scared easy sometimes I have a fight with my mom what should I do.

[ccsmod4]

Reply: I want to run away

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.

We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this difficult time. It sounds like you are having some problems between you and your mother and you are unsure about what to do about it. Sometimes communication breaks down and it’s hard to figure out what to do to make it better. Good for you to reach out and try to be proactive about this situation.

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 explore some options on improving communication with your mother, please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

.
We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

My parents yell at me for everything and then they yell at me when I start to cry and my sisters always get the attention and it’s like no one cares about me I rlly want to run away but I’m scared I’ll be sent to jail or won’t have any money

[ccsmod15]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out. It makes sense to feel scared.
We are here to help.
18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police. What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc.) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth.

Thanks for reaching out. We are here 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929

[Guest]

I am only 12 and I get hit to the point where it will leave a bruise of the hand imprint on my arm and I know somewhere that I can stay but my parents don't know them.. And I'm scared of them because if I call cps they'll beat me because I tried to before but one of my parents heard me and I didn't get to call them and they beat me because of it..

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline and sharing a little bit about what is going. It takes a lot of courage to reach out and especially in a time where you have a really tough and complex situation. It looks like you have reached out to us through another platform already. If you have any other questions please call in to 1-800-RUNAWAY and we could can discuss more in detail how we can best support you more through this situation. Stay strong! You are not alone in this and we are here 24/7.

[Guest]

I'm 13 and i wanna run away I live with my grandparents i dont wanna live hear anymore i cant go live with my dad because they wont let me go see him and the same with my mom i don't get hit that often but when i do it never stop when he hits me it leaves a print on my back ,face,or arm for like a week i get threatend alot and get called names at school im accused for doing things I dont do and get made fun of i want to get help but i have no access to a phone or electronic device please come help me fake a kidnap or something just get me out of here .

[ccsmod6]

Hi and thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear that your grandparents are mistreating you in what sounds like an abusive manner. Nobody deserves to be treated with violence, especially in their own home. It might be in your best interest to file a child abuse report. If you want to learn more about what that means or if you want to do it, you can call Child Help at 1-800-422-4453 or look on their website at childhelp.org, though without a phone or electronic device it may be hard to reach them. You can also report by talking about what’s going on at home to a teacher or an adult at school or the police. With regards to how other kids are acting towards you, it is awful that it sounds like they are bullying you. For that kind of situation it might also benefit you to talk to an adult at school and they might be able to intervene when other kids are being mean to you. There may be more options and if you are able to use a device do not hesitate to reach out to us on our 24/7 hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY or on chat at 1800runaway.org.

[Guest]

I'm 11 and i'm suicidal and i self-harm, when i got caught for self-harm, my parents both yelled at me, i went to the doctor about it, which said i'm not in trouble but i started to get punished for what i did. My mom mocks me about my self-harm like it means nothing at all, i feel like she doesn't care and that she hates me. One day i attempted to suicide but i kept forgetting the note at my house. I feel like if i run away, i may not want to suicide anymore and i might quit trying to die but i know, if i get caught, people will bully me, i'll get punished to the point where i don't wan to live anymore, again, i might get abused more by my younger sister and i'll suicide anyway... so i'm scared to run away even though i might get better because of it. I'm stuck and i don't know what to do anymore.

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for contacting The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. Wow it seems like you are going through a lot of difficult things that seem very hard to have to deal with alone. Self-harming can be very dangerous and it is not something to take lightly. We are sorry that your mother has mocked you for doing this and you should not feel ashamed. One option is you could try seeing a therapist, sometimes seeking a professional can help. Also you could consider talking to your school counselor, they may be able to provide you with resources to cope with what is going on. If talking to someone in person does not help you can contact NAMI which is the national alliance for mental health. NAMI can be reached at 1800-950-NAMI. Also whenever you think of self-harming you can try journaling instead, or pinching yourself or taking a rubber band and snapping it on your wrist.
You also mentioned wanting to commit suicide. We want you to know that your life is valuable, and there is someone always willing to listen even if it does not feel like that. If you are ever having thoughts of suicide you can always call us or The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at : 1800-273-8255. Also sometimes talking to a friend or family member of your thoughts can help you. Sometimes finding something to occupy your time can help.
You also mentioned having thoughts of wanting to runaway. We are not legal experts but we do have general knowledge of the laws. If you leave home without permission, because you are a minor your parents have the right to file a runaway report. If the police found you they would most likely bring you back home. There are more options than the things you have mentioned. Please give us a call and we will help you explore your options.
We hope this information will help you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to talk more we are here 24/7. We wish you the best of luck and stay strong you are not alone in this.
NRS

[Guest]

I'm a transgender man and even though my father supports me, ironically I live with an unsupportive parent. She tells me things like "It's clear you are a girl trying to be a boy" or "you will never pass" and hurtful things like that. At one point she threw away all my "boys" underwear. I have had a past of suicidal thoughts and actions, but it seems like that doesn't matter to her. I want to run away, but the thing is, I can't even go to the library. I'm not allowed to leave my house. I have restrictions on my phone and only get it for work and school, so if I were to run away, I wouldn't have any way to contact a safe place. I want to run away, it's that or getting into the depths of self-harm again and I think we all know the option I'll be going with. She tells me constantly that my father is manipulating me and that he doesn't truly love or support me. She hasn't ever tried to use my preferred name or pronouns and my therapist and psychologists have given up talking to her about it. She has made me depressed every day. Every day I wake up I want to go back to sleep forever because today is just another day with her. She yells at me for dating girls saying "just be a lesbian" or if I date a trans man she says "so is he a girl or a boy. Like does he have a thing down there?" and I have to tell the truth and say "no he's transgender" then she proceeds to call him a she. She asks the same thing when I date a cis male. I'm going to run away some time. I turn 16 tomorrow and it's been my plan for 2 years. I'm just too scared to follow through with the plan. My friend even called the cops for a welfare check and she made that about her saying "well now this is on my record so..." ok sorry to yell but SHE MAKES EVERYTHING ABOUT HER, and I'm just so sick of it. I

[ccsmod7]

Hello, we are really glad you reached out to us about this issue.

It definitely difficult to have to deal with one of your family members intentionally calling you the wrong pronoun. That verbal and emotional abuse is something that no one should go through especially when it starts to extend to other people you care about it. You mentioned being suicidal in the past and your safety is our primary concern, if you need someone to talk to please reach out to us at 1-800-786-2929 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline which is 1-800-273-8255. Another place to call if you need someone to talk to is the Trevor Project’s Suicide Lifeline which specifically takes call from LGBTQ youth at 1-866-488-7386.

Because it sounds like you want to run away, some things to consider are, where are you going to stay? Are you still going to try to go to school? And ways you might be able to support yourself. If you do decide to runaway and can’t find a place to stay calling us at 1-800-786-2929 or United Way at 211 might be able to provide you with some shelters to stay at. If there is anything else you need please call us at 1-800-786-2929 and we would be happy to help, we are here 24/7.

Thanks again for reaching out,

NRS

[Guest]

My mom doesn't appreciate everything I do, and constantly calls me dumb and horrible names. I don't want to feel as if I don't matter anymore. I don't have a phone or anything, and I am too scared to ask for help in case my mom finds out and I will get hit more and more. Sometimes when my mom beats me I get scars and it hurts for days. Please give me some useful information on how to deal with my situation at home. I really just don't want to live anymore.

[ccsmod13]

Hello,

We are glad you reached out for help and are trying to figure out your options. It takes a lot of courage to start that process. It sounds like a very difficult situation in your house and particularly with your Mom. You don’t deserve to be constantly called dumb and you certainly should not be getting hit. Physical abuse like you described is under no circumstance ok. There are options for you and we would like to find help for you and work with you to figure out a plan. We are a non-directive service which means we will help you figure out a plan that works best for you and not tell you what to do. To figure out the best solutions for you, we would need to get some more information from you to see what option from a shelter, counseling service or other adult would work best for you. You can reach us 24 hours a day 7 days a week on our website 1800RUNAWAY.org to chat or our hotline number at 1-800-786-2929 which you can call from any phone. We are completely confidential. If you feel you are immediate danger or not feeling safe you can also call your local police or child protective services to get to a safe place. There is also another resource you can try called Child Help. Their website is childhelp.org and their hotline is 1-800-422 4453. We hope you can find a safe way to reach out to us and talk or chat.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 11 and I want to run away because if many reasons. I want to becuse of my mom witch is yelling all the time either at the dog or at me sometimes. I have school and homework and I'm failing like 1 class and my mom is freaking out. But on the other hand my dad is very nice he tells at me sometimes but if I want to run but it's like winner and I will probably freeze and die so I dont wanna do that. I really want to run but I'm to scared school is getting in the way my teachers hate me I feel like everyone hates me except my dad. I wanna run away but I dont know what to do can you give me some advice or something because its really getting out of control. Respond please and I will be happy to get some advice, thanks



So I dont forget who this is so


NRV

[ccsmod2]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out to us. It can be very difficult to reach out for help when things seem to be getting out of hand, you’ve taken a big first step in choosing to talk to us! It can be very stressful to have yelling going on at home, even if it’s not always at you. If you ever feel unsafe and feel like there might be a type of abuse going on you have the right to call someone and report it. Here at NRS we can help you file an abuse report as well as provide support for your situation, or you could choose to talk to Child Help about what is going on and they could help file a report as well. Child Help can be reached by dialing, 1-800-422-4453 or by visiting childhelp.org. It sounds like you might be feeling like if everyone is against you at school and sometimes at home. If you feel like you are the most comfortable with your dad, would you consider talking to him about how you’ve been feeling? If someone around you knows they might be able to help you or find you someone who can. We know it can be hard to open up to someone you know, so it is completely up to you but you might want to consider talking to your dad, a school counselor or calling us. A school counselor might be able to help with any issues going on there, and they at least have a place you might be able to freely talk and feel comfortable before going back to class. You could also call us if you need someone to talk to immediately in any situations, we are 24/7, toll-free, and confidential so you can share as little or as much as you’d like with us. When you talk about running away it sounds like you have considered the possibility of being in dangerous weather, especially since we are getting into the colder part of the year in most states. Other things to consider if you decided to runaway would be how you’d keep yourself well fed, or how you’d keep going to school. If you needed help finding resources in your area if you did decide to leave home, give us a call, we will try to help in the best way we can. You should not feel this away, looking for support is a great and brave step you have taken. We thank you for having reached out to us, please do not hesitate to contact us again if you have any more questions. We do also offer online chats and calls if you’d like to have a conversation with one of us. We wish you the best of luck in your situation.