Im 16 and hate living at home if i run away can the police force me to go back?

[ccsmod13]

RE: need immediate advice

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline and sharing a bit about your story. We are sorry to hear about what you have been experiencing at home. It must be difficult to have your parents try and force a lifestyle upon you that you do not accept. It sounds like you are a strong person and have gone through so much. You deserve to be in an environment that supports you for who you are.

We are not legal experts here at NRS, but I can speak in general terms. It is not illegal to run away, running away is a status offense. This means, that if you were to run away and your parents were to file a runaway report, if the police found you most likely they would take you back to your parent’s house.

Again, we are not legal experts but it sounds like you are in a situation where you are not allowed to be yourself. Some resources that might benefit you is the LGBT National hotline number which is 1-888-843-4564. They may have some resources or be able to talk more to you about your situation at home.

We hoped that was able to help you. If you feel like you want to discuss your situation in more detail please feel free to call us at 18007862929 or chat with us every day from 4:30-11:30pm on our website. We look forward to hearing from you.

NRS

[Unregistered]

I am 16 and living at home is just not nice, my parents are horrible to me. I want a couple of nights away, and i would stay at my boyfriends house, my parents have threatened his mum with legal action, and said that I can be brought home by the police until i am 17. Can anybody tell me if this is true, or is this an attempt to scare me from going to his house to stay? I have heard the police will ask me if I would like to return now I am 16, but I would like to know what to believe. please help asap.

Do you really love him? Is he worth abandoning family and is he ready for commitment? If he is you are right, if not go. Do what your mind tells you because your heart isn't that smart.

[ccsmod7]

Re:

Hello -

Thanks for your comments and concerns. These are understandable questions to be asking and certainly good things for anyone who is thinking of leaving home to consider. The National Runaway Safeline is a non directive and confidential hotline so we are always happy to talk through these situations and discuss safe options. Thanks again for your post.

[I'm.out]

I wanna leave

Hi,

I'm 13 years old and I wanna leave this hell hole my mom always hits me and calls me out of my name and reminds me every moment of everyday why she hates me. So my question is if I run away will this be on my recored? Will I be arrested? Will I have to go back home? Please respond as soon as possible

Thank you

[ccsmod2]

RE: I wanna leave

Hi there,

It sounds like you're really going through a rough time at home. You certainly do not deserve to be hit or verbally abused like this. That's just unacceptable. If you want you could file a report on your mom's actions towards you. You can call the police or, if you call us, we can file a report on your behalf. But it's up to you. We never tell anyone what to do.

You ask if you could get arrested if you ran away or if it would be on your record. We aren't legal experts, but we can say that running away is not a crime and you cannot be arrested simply for running away. However, it is a status offense, which means you could be detained by police until your mom comes to get you. However, if you tell the police that you are being abused at home they might not send you back to an abusive situation. Most likely, some sort of investigation would take place.

We'd like to talk to you about this further. Remember that we are totally anonymous and confidential. We're a safe place to talk about this sort of thing and we're here to help you figure out what the next best step is for you. You don't have to face this alone!

[Unregistered]

I need help

Hello I need some help I wanting to run away an go live with my boyfriend and his roommates what will happen if I do that??? My parents don't know about him at all

[ccsmod1]

RE: I need help

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us for help. It sounds like you are thinking about running away to live with your boyfriend. You should know that if you are under 18, your parents can report you as a runaway to the police, who might force you to go back home. If this happens, your boyfriend could also be charged with harboring a runaway, a criminal offence. We understand that you have your reasons for wanting to run. If you need someone to talk to to help you think of a safe plan, we are here for you. All of our services are anonymous and confidential. We are looking forward to your call, and wish you the best of luck.

[Unregistered]

help

I'm 16, I have 1500 dollars saved up, a job, a place planned out to stay, now what do I do

[ccsmod10]

Re: help

Hello there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. It sounds like you have a pretty solid plan. If you are looking to move out without getting yourself or anyone else in trouble, it might be helpful to go to the courts and petition to be emancipated. This typically means that if you are financially independent and over a certain age, you can petition the courts to be separated from your legal guardians.

Here at the National Runaway Safeline, we cannot tell you what you should or should not do. We can however help you find the numbers to legal aid offices that can help you with the emancipation process, or find you a safe place to go if you need additional help. Please call us at any time, we are always here for you.

[Unregistered]

i am sixteen and i live in georgia and i want to runaway

I'm sixteen and i live in Georgia. My mom has hit me and left bruises on me and scratches. I want to leave and move in with my girlfriend,who is newly 20,and her family. I feel safe there. Unlike here. I am scared that she will Call the cops and me or her or her family will be arrested. I want to live with her no where or with no one else. I don't know what will happen if I do leave though.

[ccsmod9]

RE: i am 16 and i live in georgia and i want to run away

Hello,

We are glad you reached out. It seems like things are very difficult at home. It is great that you have a good support system at your girlfriend’s house. Abuse in the household is very difficult and no one deserves to be abused. Have you ever thought about making an abuse report? You can contact the ChildHelp hotline for details about abuse reporting (they are confidential and anonymous) at 1-800-422-4453.

We are not legal experts, but we can speak generally. Since you are a minor your mom could file a runaway report. Running away is a status offense, so you don’t personally have to worry about being arrested. That being said, if you were picked up by the police they can bring you back to your mom. Your girlfriend’s family can be charged with “harboring a runaway”, which the penalties for vary. It may be worth it to contact your local police department and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth and harboring a runaway.

We are sorry to hear about your difficult situation. You can call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929). We look forward to hearing from you to aid you in sorting out your options and making steps towards what’s best for your situation. Good luck.

NRS

[Unregistered]

help me please

Okay so i am fifteen gonna be sixteen in two months and just recently moved in with my grandparents which are in there sixties and i was wondering if there was any way i could leave at sixteen to live with my boyfriend and continue school in mo without getting in trouble or being returned home bye the police i need some options before i turn sixteen thank u

[ccsmod2]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. Legally you are a minor and under your guardian’s supervision until you are 18 or are emancipated by a court of law. If you decide to leave home before then your guardians could file a runaway report on you. Running away is not a crime, but it is a status offense. This means the police could detain you until they release you to the care of your guardians. More seriously, anyone you stay with could be considered harboring a runaway, which is a crime.

We’d like to help you figure out what your options are, though. Maybe there is some other arrangement you could work out? If you give us a call we can try to work with you so you can decide what your next best step is. We hope to hear from you. Good luck!

[emily]

What can I do?

I am 16, live in WA state and want to leave home. Things have gotten bad in the relationship between my dad and I, and I just can't stand it anymore. Day in and day out I am called stupid, b****, or a piece of s***. I am so tired of having such loud and aggressive fights every day, and constant punishments. I am so restricted on everything I do, I just can't take this anymore. I have a.. place I'm mind, there are for sure 2 places that I am welcomed in, though my dad doesn't know the address of the one I'll probably go to, he knows the general area. How can I get around the law? Is there a fast way to get a guardianship for my friends? I know my dad could get the police to come get me, but what would happen if I ran away again?

[ccsmod1]

RE: What can I do?

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us for help. It sounds like you are in a really stressful situation. It sounds like the fights, punishments, and name calling are very hurtful. You deserve to have a safe home, and it is understandable why you would want to leave. We are sorry to hear about this situation, and we are here to listen and help you in any way that we can. We are glad to hear that have friends who support you. You mentioned that your plan is to run away to a friend’s house. You should know that if you run away, your dad can report you to the police and have you brought home. If this happens, your friends could face criminal charges for harboring a runaway. There is no fast way to change guardianship, and there is no way around the law. If you run away, you might face these consequences. However, it is impossible to say exactly what could happen, and you have lots of options. If you have questions or you want to explore the situation with us, we are happy to help in any way that we can. This sounds like a really tough situation. We are here 24/7 to take your call. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and wish you the best of luck.