15-planning to runaway

[Guest]

im 15 and i live in washington.
im planning on running away with my boyfriend.

im sick of living with my grandma and uncle.
im emotionally abused and sometimes get slapped in the head or pushed by my grandma.
and my uncle is an alcoholic.

what will happen if i runaway?

[ccsmod7]

Re: 15-planning to runaway

Thanks for writing in. It sounds like you are dealing with a very difficult situation. You mentioned that you have been living with your grandma and uncle, and you are having a hard time dealing with both of them. How long have you lived with your grandma and your uncle? You said that you have been dealing with emotional abuse and you mentioned that your grandma sometimes hits you and your uncle drinks a lot. Do you feel unsafe in your home? Have you ever talked with anyone about your situation at home? A friend, teacher, or counselor? Have you ever thought about talking with Child Protective Services to look at your different options and possibly make a report. It definitely sounds like a frustrating situation and it's understandable that you have thought about leaving.

You mentioned wanting to run, but you are concerned with what might happen if you did so. Because you are 15 your grandma, if she is your legal guardian, would have the right to make a runaway report if you left. If the police found you, in most states they are just going to bring you back home. Now you did mention that you are from WA and there are some laws set up that say if a child does runaway the police/youth's parents have the right of placing them in a lock-down facility for some period of time. There may also be consequences set up if you are missing school. Now we are not lawyers here by any means, and laws do very from state to state. Usually the best way to figure out what the specific laws are in your area are calling the non-emergency police number and asking some questions. Have you thought about where you and your boyfriend would go if you left? Do you have a safe place that you could stay? Do you have any money? How would you eat and survive on a daily basis? It may seem that we are asking a lot of questions, but perhaps thinking about some of these issues can help make you more safe if you do decide to leave. What would have to change in order for you to feel like you didn't have to leave your home?

Just so you know, if you want to talk more about this situation you can always give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are a completely confidential hotline and there is someone here 24 hours a day. We are not here to tell you what to do, but we can help look through the different options and discuss what may be best for you in your situation. We are not here to tell you not to runaway, but rather discuss options that would make it more safe if you decided to leave your home. We also have an extensive database if there are any resources or referrals you would like us to look up, like counseling or shelter in your area. In the end it is your decision on whether or not you want to leave. Sometimes looking at the pros and cons of leaving or staying and deciding what is best for you. Also thinking ahead and having some resources if you do decide to leave can help as well. Best of luck with everything and give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY anytime.

[Guest]

Re: 15-planning to runaway

same here. I want to run. hey at least your boyfriend will go with you. if I told my girlfriend she would just rolls her eyes laugh then move on . I don't want ã Reply from some switch board machine, personaly I like someone who actually gives ã rats ass.. my life is good . when I run I throw it all away . but if we don't find ourselves in lofe what is tje point in living. I want to finish school but i'd rather finish life than school. that's my 2cents =)

[ccsmod5]

Re: 15-planning to runaway

Hey,

Are you (Guest) saying you are going to run away as well? You statement is a little unclear. As for the responses, we are not computers (even though we are using them). The people that answer the crisis emails have had many hours of crisis intervention training. If people feel like this bulletin board is impersonal, please call our hotline and speak with someone right away.

Give us a few more details about your situation if you'd like.

Best of luck,

NRS