Running away to a friends house

[Guest]

Hi. I want to run away without getting caught. My parents are really abusive towards me. They beat me sometimes, they yell at me, they try to make me feel bad about myself, they threaten to do ******** towards me. Imma give some stories. Sometimes my dad will whip me to the point where I have bruises all around my legs. He will lay punches on me. He gave me a bloody lip, almost a broken jaw, and yesterday I slit my eyebrow because I wanted to try a new look and he got mad and he shaved it off. Also, he punched me so hard in the chest I had trouble breathing last night, I would move side to side and my chest will hurt. He will get mad over the stupidest things he will beat me and shave off my hair. My life at home is like HELL. PLEASE HELP MEEEE. My dad thinks that beating me is the way to solve problems One time, he was cutting nearly all my hair off because I got in trouble and I kept moving to resist and he threaten me to STAB ME WITH A COMB if I don't stop moving. I WANT TO RUN AWAY BAD PLZ HELP ME

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,

We’re glad you found us and felt comfortable reaching out on our forum. First, we are so incredibly sorry to hear your parents are so abusive towards you. We know it doesn’t necessarily make things feel any easier; however, we hope you know that you do not deserve to be abused or mistreated at home. You certainly don’t deserve to be beaten and you do have a right to make a report and document any evidence. We recognize that making a report with your local child protective services and/or police and can help you through this process when/if you are ready. Another resource you might find helpful is Childhelp: https://www.childhelp.org/.

Please know we are not here to judge your or tell you what to do, although we do care about your safety. It is understandable you would want to run away right now given everything you shared. We are here to further discuss your situation and invite you to talk one on one with us through our Live Chat. Simply click on this link: https://na0messaging.icarol.com/Cons...d=254&cc=en-US to get started.

We hope this response gives you a start and hope you’re able to keep yourself safe while you work out a plan. Best of luck!

-NRS

[Guest]

what do i do when i already packed and i texted my friend i want to run away, they already said i could stay with them for a little, the reason is my little brother is always verbal abusing me and wont leave me alone, and my dad had a girlfriend and they argued, when they argued it scared me all the time and he yells at us for no reason sometimes, and i am 11 turning 12 soon, and my mother left me.

[ccsmod3]

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. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I want to run away because my parents think I was a mistake and im 12. My friend has the best life and I want to have that too.

[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 a little bit about what’s going on. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. 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 share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.
It is understandable to feel left behind and want more when we see others enjoying things that are denied to us. You deserve to be treated with respect by your parents, and not to be called a mistake by them. On the flip side it may be good to manage your expectations as to what makes you feel like your friend has the best life as you may not get to see the whole story there as well.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

Hi
I am a 12 yr girl, Im bisexual I might be looking forward to running away to my best friends house (that I know and trust very well) because my mom and dad are separate and I live with my mom, but sadly she does not except me for who I am and she is will to throw me out if I dont behave and I have done simply nothing wrong. Is this illigal or not please someone reply I need help.

[ccsmod3]

Thanks for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. You made a great first step to finding the help that you may need. It sounds like you are going through a lot and the people around you are not being supportive. You deserve to be treated with respect, to experience acceptance and to feel safe.

We want you to know that you are strong for having gone through so much already. It is perfectly okay to deviate from what others or the common population believe to be “normal”. You’re bravery and resilience is so admirable. You are so strong for having gone through so much without having the acceptance that you do deserve for just being you. Remember that you are not alone. If you ever want to talk more about what you are experiencing or get additional support we are here 24/7 at 1800-RUNAWAY or our live chat service. The LGBT National Hotline at 1888-843-4564 is another option to gain great support from those that are familiar with the issues and experiences of those that are also a part of the LGBTQ community. You can access their website link bellow to utilize all the other possibly useful resources they have to offer: http://www.glbthotline.org/

You mentioned that you were considering the options that may be best for you. By all means, if you do fear for your safety either now or in the future, do not hesitate to take the necessary steps to regain your safety. This may mean calling the authorities or possibly reporting the things you may be experiencing. Other options to think about may be other family members, friends, or a trusted adults that would be able to provide you with support or a safe place to stay. It is great that you thinking ahead. Should you feel like leaving home is best, it may be a good idea to think about how you will provide necessities for yourself such as food, clothing, showers, healthcare and other basic needs. You may want to also consider how your parent’s will react to you leaving without permission. We are not legal experts here, but typically as a minor (under the age of 1 you need permission from your parents to leave home. It is not illegal to runaway, but it would mean that your parents could file a runaway report with the police. This is usually done in an effort to try to return you home as the police are required to do so.

If you can give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY or reach out through Live Chat we can try to find some youth shelters that may be near your city and state by utilizing our database of resources. We can also try to call out to shelters with you or on your behalf to advocate for you.

Stay Strong,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 16 and I've talked to my parents about saying with a trusted friend for a while. My home life hasn't been that great. Both of my parents just want the best for me and my brother's, but my parents are completely different. Where my mom is more kinda and understanding, my dad has changed. He used to be like her, but lately he has been yelling at my mom and I a lot, mostly things that we never did, and he treats me like everything I'm gonna do is gonna be bad. I've never given him a reason to think this. It's always angry here and I'm always walking on eggshells. My question is, can I leave to a friend's house with having permission from only one parent?? And if I do that I'm scared my dad is going to be even more mad.

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear that things between your family and your dad have been deteriorating to a point where you feel like you have to leave. Life can be extremely difficult and stressful sometimes but that is not an excuse to treat the people you love with disrespect.

While we are not legal experts, we do have a great deal of experience working with runaways. It is our understanding that as long as one of your guardians approves of where you are, you can legally be there. However, there are two issues with that. The first is that your parents can change their mind at any time. Especially if your dad has been more aggressive and hot tempered recently, it may not be reasonable to think that he and your mom will not agree that you should be at home. And, as you said, it may not necessarily help improve the situation overall if he simply becomes more mad.

If you want to talk about your situation in greater depth or about what options that you might have, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I live in Vermont. I've been looking into leaving my house for my best friend's house for a while now, the problem is I can't contact my friend to give her the heads up since my parents have shut down my phone and the wifi. My at-home problems include: not listening about sensory issues or boundaries. Yelling. Sometimes Physical abuse. and my feeling always comes second. I am the middle child and everything is very hard for me. please help me. I can't live here anymore. I'm 12 almost 13

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are going through a really difficult time, and we want you to know that you are not alone we are here for you
We are sorry to hear that you are having many issues at home. We know that you mentioned sometimes you experience physical abuse; you do have the right to make a report. If you would like to make a report you can contact Child Help at: 1800-422-4453. You can also chat or call us and we can help you with filing an abuse report. We are available 24/7. Also you might want to consider talking to a counselor about what you are experiencing, and they may be able to provide you with resources and options.
We know you mentioned leaving home we are not legal experts but do have some information on the laws. If you were to leave home without permission your legal guardian does have the right to file a runaway report. If the police were to find you they most likely would bring you back home. Also whoever you were to stay with could potentially get in trouble for harboring a runaway.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options, please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide you with support. Best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

I wanna run from home, my mom has health issues and is trying her best to help me. I want to either commit suicide or run from home. I really want to so she doesn't remember me.

[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 a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now. It sounds like you’re fearing that the situation may end in suicide if things don’t change. Your safety and well-being is important. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255); www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org is also a great resource to reach out to in addition to our crisis services.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. This may be an isolating and lonely time for you, but you are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.
If you would like to talk more in detail 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.
Be safe and stay strong,
NRS

[Guest]

im a 12 year old turning 13 this year and want to come out as transgender after 4 years of being in the closet, as i am preparing for the worst ( being kicked out,running away, ect.) i know that if i stay at a friends house they could get in legal trouble for harboring a minor runaway without my parents consent, but i dont think i have any homeless shelters near me. i am also taking into consideration when schooling starts back up what will i do. im trying to do as much re-search bc i dont know how they will react, any tips on what to do if things go south and i wanna / need to get out? ( im in Massachusetts)

[ccsmod15]

Thanks for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. You made a great first step to finding the help that you may need. It sounds like you are going through a lot and the people around you are not being supportive. You deserve to be treated with respect, to experience acceptance and to feel safe.

We want you to know that you are strong for having gone through so much already. It is perfectly okay to deviate from what others or the common population believe to be “normal”. You’re bravery and resilience is so admirable. You are so strong for having gone through so much without having the acceptance that you do deserve for just being you. Remember that you are not alone. If you ever want to talk more about what you are experiencing or get additional support we are here 24/7 at 1800-RUNAWAY or our live chat service. The GLBT National Hotline at 1888-843-4564 is another option to gain great support from those that are familiar with the issues and experiences of those that are also a part of the LGBTQ community. You can access their website link bellow to utilize all the other possibly useful resources they have to offer: http://www.glbthotline.org/

You mentioned that you were considering the options that may be best for you. By all means, if you do fear for your safety either now or in the future, do not hesitate to take the necessary steps to regain your safety. This may mean calling the authorities or possibly reporting the things you may be experiencing. Other options to think about may be other family members, friends, or a trusted adults that would be able to provide you with support or a safe place to stay. It is great that you thinking ahead. Should you feel like leaving home is best, it may be a good idea to think about how you will provide necessities for yourself such as food, clothing, showers, healthcare and other basic needs. You may want to also consider how your parent’s will react to you leaving without permission. We are not legal experts here, but typically as a minor (under the age of 1 you need permission from your parents to leave home. It is not illegal to runaway, but it would mean that your parents could file a runaway report with the police. This is usually done in an effort to try to return you home as the police are required to do so.

If you can give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY or reach out through Live Chat we can try to find some youth shelters that may be near your city and state by utilizing our database of resources. We can also try to call out to shelters with you or on your behalf to advocate for you.

Stay Strong,
NRS

[Guest]

help me answer quick
hi im 12 and want to run away to my friends house for exactly one day i am spoiled and have the best life and best parents but im not allowed to go to friends houses and i havent had my devices in 5 months and im planning to write a note to my parents that i ran away and will come back in one day and i plan to be detained too can my friends and her mom go to jail and can i go to a foster home once i get detained

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to write us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing a bit about your situation. It sounds like not being allowed to spend time with your friends or use your devices has left you feeling like you need some time away from home. Not being able to connect with friends can be really difficult and sometimes feel lonely.

We will do our best to share information to answer your questions. We are not quite sure what you mean when mentioned being detained, but we can tell you what could happen if you were to leave. If you run away or leave home without permission, your parents can report you as a runaway to the police. This is not something you would get into legal trouble for, but it does mean that police would take you back home. Whoever you stay with is at risk of being charged with harboring a runaway if they do not notify your parents that you are there.

Unfortunately, going to a foster home is not that easy. If there is abuse or neglect going on at home and your safety is a concern, you can make a report to child protective services. This does not mean you would be removed from your parents' custody right away unless you are in danger at home. If there are concerns for your safety or well-being, CPS will likely try to provide support to help you and your parents create a healthier environment for you at home.

We want to talk more in-detail with you about what is going on at home, so that we can help you brainstorm all of your possible options. Perhaps there are ways for you to get more support at home or to communicate your needs to your parents. You can contact us directly for immediate support at 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat at 1800runaway.org.

Stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

If my friend is 16 and he runs away From a group home because he was getting beat up from the kids can I has a 16-year-old take him in and not get into trouble even though I call 911

[ccsmod3]

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. It seems there is a lot that your friend is faced with right now and you’re wanting to find a way to help them as they mentioned wanting to run away. It’s great that your friend has support and concern from you especially since this time is quite difficult for them.
Having a space to vent and explore options may often bring out a solution previously not thought of. We are here as support to help you and your friend through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
We’re here to listen and to help and hope you or your friend can reach out soon. Best of luck!

[Guest]

My friend wants to run away

My friend is 13 and she wants to leave because of an abusive household. Her mother has been mentally abusing her for a while. Insulting her appearance, shaming her for not knowing certain things, comparing her to other kids, degrade her, insulting her aspirations in life. Once my friend tries to address this, her mom tries to manipulate her into thinking that she really cares. Because of this, she has been thinking of running away. Recently, her mother has hit her 4 times (some on the face I believe), leaving bruises. She also allowed my friend's older brother to put his hands on her. Once she told our friend group (full of more teens, including me), we've all been trying to figure out how to get her out safely without commuting any crimes. We're trying her get her to stay with me and my parents, but we don't want to get in any trouble. Is there any way to do this? We live in Louisiana

[ccsmod0]

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. It seems there is a lot that your friend is faced with right now and you’re wanting to find a way to help them as they mentioned wanting to run away. It’s great that your friend has support and concern from you especially since this time is quite difficult for them.
Having a space to vent and explore options may often bring out a solution previously not thought of. We are here as support to help you and your friend through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
We’re here to listen and to help and hope you or your friend can reach out soon.
Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

my girlfriend wants to run away she does not feel okay in her own home she is 15 I live in the state of New York I was wondering what would be the consequences of letting her stay at my house because in her own house she feels as if she is going mentally insane and is suffering from depression and very bad anxiety?

[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 a little bit about what’s going on. It seems there is a lot that your girlfriend is faced with right now and you’re wanting to find a way to help them as they mentioned wanting to run away. It’s great that your friend has support and concern from you especially since this time is quite difficult for them.
Generally if they were to leave and stay with you instead of at home they would be considered a runaway even if they are leaving a bad home situation. Without CPS/DCFS getting involved or getting parent permission for them to stay there your girlfriend could be reported as a runaway. This is a status offence so they would mostly be at risk of police bringing them back home. You and your family however might be at risk of a harboring a runaway charge. We aren’t legal experts but often as long as you don’t try to hid them from police and your home is safe the risk goes down quite a bit.
Having a space to vent and explore options may often bring out a solution previously not thought of. We are here as support to help you and your friend through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat. If you would like to talk more in detail, please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
We’re here to listen and to help and hope you or your friend can reach out soon.
Take care,
NRS