Mississippi Runaway

[Guest]

Dear who ever read this,

I'm 18 and I not to long tried to runaway from home to my other parent house were I feel free to be me and then the chef came an took me after they spoke to my parent about something an now I think I'm brain washed cause three or so weeks later my parent caught me with a phone an took it an my parent who I live with beat me an left a bruise on my thigh an wrist an all my step parent do is belittle me and my parent who wants me is fighting to get me and is going to court for me to speak up and I feel lost an really don't know what to do

[ccsmod7]

Hello there thanks for reaching out.

Sounds like your parents are in a court custody battle, and you have been forced to live with the parent you do not want to live with, and they recently beat you. You so do not deserve to be harmed in anyway. You do have the right to report that abuse to child protective services. If they find the abuse highly dangerous they would remove you from that parent’s custody and place you with the other parent or family member at least temporarily. If you haven’t already, you might take pictures of your bruises to help prove the abuse. To learn more about reporting might look like for you or to be directed to Mississippi’s abuse hotline, you might contact the expert child advocates at Child Help 1-800-422-4453. If you ever feel like you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you can, you might call or chat us so we can help you brainstorm your options. Unfortunately, the legal age in Mississippi is 21, so your parent could continue calling police if you leave home without permission. The easiest way you can leave home is with parental permission. Another possible way you could leave home is through the court emancipation process. Emancipation is a longer process where you would prove to a judge that you are financially self-sufficient and better off without the assistance of your parents. Please call or chat to learn more about emancipation or for local legal aid resources.

We look forward to hearing from you and we wish you the best,

NRS

[Guest]

I live in the state of Mississippi and I’m 17 years old I turn 18 in 6 1/2 months and I can’t deal with my adoptive mom. I make my own money I’m a manager at McDonald’s making nearly 630-700$ every two weeks. My guardians take all of my money and won’t allow me to leave my house. If there is any way you could help that would be great

[ccsmod4]

Reply: I live in the state of mississippi and I’m 17 years old

Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like the situation you find yourself in at home has gotten pretty frustrating for you.
We understand and would like to offer our support during this difficult time for you.
We would be interested to hear what specifically you would like NRS to assist you with.

We would be glad to explore with you any information or referrals that might fit your needs.
We are here to listen and here to help. We offer an open space to talk and explore options.
If you would like to talk more about your situation you are welcome to contact us through 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or www.1800Runaway.org (Live chat).

We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I am 14. Although I am much younger than most of the kids on here, I have a very mature mind. I have always have thoughts of running away, but those thoughts have become very strong lately, especially this weekend. There was an incident which happened Friday, which I am not comfortable mentioning, but my mother thought I was smoking weed, with people I don't know, but my boyfriend and his brother was there. I have mostly African American friends and she has noted that I talk differently with my friend than I do at home, but thats just what I do, its something that I have caught on. This morning my mother used the N word when I came downstairs with my baby hairs done just because it is normally worn by African Americans. She also thinks that I am not mature enough to know who I am. I know I have my whole life ahead of me, but I know I am apart of the LGBT community. I have known I was attracted to the same sex since I was very young. She belittles me for "wanting to be black" also. My stepdad gets angry very easily and yells and yells all the time. He often threatens to hit me too. He calls me stupid and my mother doesn't say anything, but if she does, she doesn't mention me directly. The both of them put me down for not having good grades, for not turning in work (I don't turn in work most of the time just because I don't understand it or, it was group work and the teacher doesn't give me credit), and just for "not asking for help." I know it is just a status offense, but if the police do find me and take me home, I'm afraid the consequences will be severe at home.

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

We’re so sorry to hear that you’ve been going through such a difficult time. You deserve to be treated better and not be belittled or made to feel as though you are insignificant. You’re really brave to be reaching out to us today to talk about this, and it sounds like you have done a great deal of research about if you were to leave. Have you talked to anyone else about how you feel? Maybe a friend, trusted teacher, or trusted adult? We would love to talk to you more about what you have been going through recently, and potential options and resources, if you are open to it. We have an online chat, and our phone hotlines are 24/7, so someone will always be here to talk with you. Also, if you are interested, there is also an LGBT National Hotline, which can be reached at 888-843-4564 or their website can be accessed at glbthotline.org. You seem to have a firm grasp on who you are, but they might be a great resource for you when you’re dealing with some of the frustrations in regards to your parents’ not accepting or understanding you. Thank you again for reaching out to us and we hope that your situation gets better! Please remember that we are always here to listen and to help you.

[Guest]

I'm 18 and I live in Mississippi I want to leave home what would happen if I left

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are here 24/7 to listen and to support.

We are not legal experts, but it looks like the age when you are considered a legal adult would be 21. You can look up what that means for you in terms of moving out and other rights that you have at sexetc.org/action-center/sex-in-the-states/. Another thing you could do would be to reach out to your local police station and inquire anonymously how they handle runaway reports for 18 year olds. If you need help finding your local non-emergency number or want help thinking through your options, don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

Best,

NRS

We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: We care what you think

[Guest]

I’m 13 and I want to runaway in IL. I don’t have anywhere to go so I don’t know what to do. There isn’t any physical abuse anymore but I feel like there is emotional abuse and I need to get out of this house but I don’t know when to leave or where to go could anyone help?? Would I get in trouble with school or the police ??

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are here 24/7 to listen and to support.
We want you to know that you should never be abused. If you need someone to talk to about this you can either contact us or CHILD HELP (1-800-422-4453), who are experts at dealing with child abuse situations. If you are being physically, emotionally or sexually abused, you can also contact your states child protective services and file an abuse report. You can also reach out to people at your school to help you as well.

Though we are not legal experts, if you run away you would most likely be returned home if found and are under 18. There could also be legal consequences for whomever you stay with for what is called harboring a minor. If you leave your home and need help, don't hesitate to give us a call and we could look up shelters and safe spaces for you. A liner could also walk you through your options and what you think would be the best for you. Give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) so that we can hear more about your situation and be able to better help.

Stay safe,

NRS

[Guest]

I ran away and they are going to get my boyfriend arrested for kidnapping and he did not kidnap me what so I do!!

[ccsmod15]

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’ve been going through a tough time, and that sounds like a really stressful situation. But we are here to support you and help you in any way we can.

We’re not legal experts here at NRS, but we have legal aid resources here if you have specific questions about the laws in your state. You could also consider reaching out anonymously to your local nonemergency police department to ask about their policies on this issue.

If you haven’t already, you could consider reaching out to a trusted adult, relative, worker/teacher/counselor at your school for help and support. You could also consider talking to your parents about how you’ve been feeling or have another trusted adult or friend help you talk with them. Just so you’re aware, we have a conference calling service here where we could help mediate a conversation between you and your parents.

There are also many resources that could help you find a safe place if you’re in need or help you with anything else you may need. If you want to talk more about what’s been going on, or if you would like more information about resources, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or chat with us online.

Again, thank you for contacting us. It sounds like you’ve been going through a hard time, but you’ve shown a lot of strength by working through these challenges and reaching out for help. If you ever need anything in the future, please feel free to call us or chat with us online. We’re always here to listen and here to help.

[Guest]

I am a month and a half from being 18. Would the police do anything to me if I ran away, even though I'm so close to being of age?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today.

With a month to go until you turn 18, it is up to your local police with whether or not they would consider you an adult already or if they would take a runaway report for you and return you home. You might reach out to your local non-emergency police's phone number to as One thing to consider is that 18 is not the legal age in every state, but it is in most states. States with older majority ages include Mississippi (21), Alabama (19), and Nebraska (19). If you live in one of those states they would generally list you as a runaway if your guardian attempts to contact them and file a runaway report.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you would like to talk through your situation and help with brainstorming your options. We can also help you contact your local police.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Best,

NRS

We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think.

[Guest]

I want to run away but I’ve committed crimes in the past if I get caught will I be in trouble bcuz of the crimes

[ccsmod15]

Hi,

It can be difficult to ask for help, and we are glad you reached out today. We are not legal experts and consequences for running away can differ from city to city. Calling a non-emergency police number for your city can be a helpful resource for answering your legal questions.

In addition to being available by bulletin, we operate a 24/7 hotline (1-800-786-2929) and are always here to provide additional support and referrals. We can help locate additional legal resources and help brainstorm some options for staying safe if you decide to leave home.

Do not hesitate to give us a call.

Good luck,
NRS

[Guest]

What can happen when a 17 year old with only one parent and step parent (the other signed their rights away completely) runs away to a grandparents house with no rights either? Can we have the child picked back up or the grandparent who has been harboring her be picked up?

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runway Safeline. We appreciate you contacting us in your time of need, it was very brave of you.

It sounds like your parents are putting you in the middle of their issues, which isn’t fair for you and must be really stressful on you. You should have a say when it where you want to live. Unfortunately, you’re still a minor at the age of 17. We’re not legal experts ourselves but we can explain what we have heard. One parent is usually given primary custody, being your legal guardian, they are the only one who can give you permission to live elsewhere. So that means that if you did leave without permission, your parent could report you as a runaway. If the police find you, they will return you to your custodial parent. We have heard of a Harboring a

Runaway charge when people let runaway stay with them, but it’s uncommon and we aren’t sure how it would work out if it’s a grandparent.

We offer a conference calling service, between youth and their parents. Sometimes just being able to talk can be a way to open up the lines of communication, and see the best way that everyone can compromise.

We hope our response is helpful. In addition, talking to school counselors and teachers about what’s going on at home could provide you with great support. You are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. You are always welcome to call into our 24/7 crisis center, or use our chatting services via our website.

Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

I'm 17 years old, live in mississippi, and I was reported as a runaway 4 days ago. My father has full costody however he makes me lice with my cousin. My father has a history of being abusive and since I left hes sent me mocking messages, and threatening punishment if I come home. I have no problem going home, it's what will happen when i get their that worries me.. What do I do?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there, thanks for posting. Sounds like home is really difficult between your dad being abusive and having to live with your cousin.
Your safety is our first priority. We can help you find safe shelter, food, access to other services, etc. We are 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929 and by live chat here on our website so reach out anytime for more help with that!

Because you mentioned abuse, Child Help may also be helpful: 1-800-422-4453, childhelp.org. they can help you better understand what abuse is, how to report it if you want to, and how to get custody transferred to a safe adult. You mentioned your dad has sent threatening messages. We are not legal experts here at all, but if reporting is something you want to do or if those messages make you feel like you do not want to go home, saving those messages may help police or child protection better understand your situation and see that your dad may not be a safe person to live with.

We are here to support you in any way we can, such as in finding a safe place to stay, as well as reporting the abuse if you want to do that. That decision is always up to you though and you can call and talk to us anonymously without a report being filed if you so choose.

We are 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929 and through live chat at the top of this page. We can best help directly so please reach out anytime!

Stay safe! -NRS

[Guest]

Help! I have a friend that recently left home and is staying with a friend. She is 18 years old and her Mom and step Dad have been verbally abusing her. They have treated her like a slave. She has to watch her sister and brother. She does all household chores, cooks and laundry. She rarely complains because she is afraid of her step dad. She will be starting to college in a few weeks and all expenses are taken care of because she got scholarships. She will be living on campus. Could her parents call her a runaway? They know where she is. They are mad!

[ccsmod15]

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 what’s going on.

It sounds like your friend is going through a hard time. She does not deserve to be treated like that. We are not legal experts, however in the state of Mississippi until she turns 21 she is considered a minor and can be brought back home if a police report is filed and whoever she lives with could be charged with harboring a runaway.She can also reach out to NAMI at 1-800-950-NAMI or text NAMI to 741741 for counseling resources. Family counseling can be helpful in many situations



If she likes she can call us at our confidential 24x7 hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); or live chat with us at www.1800runaway.org.

You are doing great by trying to help your friend. We wish her the best

Best
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 18,and live in mississippi, would I get in trouble for hanging out with my friends after my guardian said no?

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. While we are not legal experts, we do have a great deal of experience working with runaways. It is our understanding that running away is not illegal and you will not get arrested or into legal trouble for doing it. Your guardian could file a runaway report with the police if you are considered a minor, but this would not mean you are in trouble, it would only mean that the police could return you home if they encountered you. Basically, the most trouble you might get into is from your guardian. If you want to talk about your situation further or what options you have, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS