Two Months from 18

[Justdonewithit]

Hi I am a 17 year old from Ohio and I am desperatly looking for help. I need to get out of my parents house but am so scared of having my life riuned by them. I have already graduated for high school and have two years of college under my bealt.my parents are verbally abusive and I am in fear that it might become physical. I get told things like, "When you get out of here you are just going to be a slave of the (welfare) system" and "you are going to end up on the streets doing nothing but spreading your legs becuase you 'think' you know everything.". There are far more things I have been told but it would take too much time to type it up. My mother has even kicked me out before and told everyone that I ran away becuase I was mad at her, just to be spiteful. If it wernt for some of my co-workers taking me unter thier roof for the month that I was not allowed back home I dont know what I would have done. After a month of not having me at the house cleaning and driving her other two childeren around (she told me this was the only reason she missed having me at the house) she threatened to call the cops on not only me but the people who had taken me into thier home and offered me thier protection. needless to say I was forced to go back home in fear of getting anyone, including myself, into trouble.
My real question here is how do I get out of here? I have a steady full time job and a place to go but I dont want to have the cops after me becuase of her. The only thing I can find about emancipation in ohio is that you have to get married or join a branch of the milatary to bea legal adault before 18 (both require parental consent). I really need help and my only option seems like running away. Please help me!

[ccsmod7]

Re: Two Months from 18

It sounds like you have a lot going on right now and we are so glad you reached out for some support. You mentioned that things at home have been pretty stressful and it has really gotten abusive at time. It seems like you would like to leave home and may have some other supports and places to stay but you are concerned what your mom might do because you are still 17. It sounds like you have so much going for you in regards to school and working and you should be very proud of that. It also helps that you are so close to being 18, although it probably feels like two months is going to take forever.

In most states the age of majority, when you are considered an adult and can leave home without permission, is 18. But 17 is a little tricky and we don't always know how the police will deal with a situation like this. What that means is that police may not always take a report or make a youth return home if they are so close to being 18. Usually the best way to get this information is to contact your local police on a nonemergency line and just ask a few general questions such as...

*At what age is a youth no longer considered a runaway?
*If a 17 y/o leaves home without permission, do you still take a runaway report?
*If yes: what happens if/when that youth is found?

Keep in mind that we are also here 24 hours a day at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) if you would like to talk more about this and need some further assistance. We also have a live chat available from 4:30p to 11:30p CST. While we can't make this decision for you, there is always someone available to discuss safe options and find helpful resources in your area if needed. Feel free to reach out to us anytime. Take care and be safe.