running away to another state

I think I'm going to run away today. What foods should I bring with me?

[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 at home and with school. 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.
Because of your age, it is very unlikely you will be able to travel alone. A hotel would be unable to provide a room for you as you are a minor and do not own a credit card as well. Staying outside can also be very dangerous.
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

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[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

We appreciate you sharing a bit about your situation and taking the time to make a post on our Bulletin. It can certainly be stressful at home when the adults in the household are not supportive. Emotional abuse does get overwhelming and it can be tough to cope with on your own. Abuse of any kind is never okay and not your fault. You deserve to be treated with respect and to feel supported.

While we are not legal experts, we can speak generally on this. If you leave home without permission as a minor, your grandparents can report you as a runaway to the police. Running away is not illegal, so you would not get into any legal trouble. But it is a status offense which means your grandparents can ask that police return you home if they know where you are staying or you come into contact with law enforcement. Now, there is not a universal way that police respond to runaway reports and protocol can vary. Some police departments do not enforce a runaway report for someone so close to turning 18. You can call the non-emergency line for your local or county police department (anonymously if you would like) to ask questions about their runaway protocol to learn more about what might happen if you leave home.

We truly want to be a support for you as you decide on your next steps. We are available 24/7 to listen and help as much as possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out again by phone or chat if you would like to talk more in-depth about your situation and explore your options. You can contact us by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or use our live chat services at www.1800runaway.org.

Stay safe,
NRS

im wondering about running away.
This may be a weird reason why im running away but its because of how little effort i put into my school work,and i got my results and saw i failed my school year and need and need to go to summer school,i know its a childish reason to run away but i have promisd my parents that i'd do better and ever since 6th grade i have been giving them nothing but low grades,due to the fact that i dont put lots of hard work into my h.w. I cant take this guilt anymore and i want to leave,im 14 years old and i dont have much money saved at the moment and i want to run away from nyc to west vigenia.

But im wondering right now about the travel, lets just say i have a good amount of money with me, is it ok for me to book a hotel room or find a suddel place to rest outside?
If i sleep outside will it be bad for me, i know there are lots of ways someone can hurt a person but will it be the best for me? Or will sleeping in a hotel do it better,even tho there are security cameras around the builting and they can easliy see my face (even with a hat on)?

Hay im 17 and live in lagrange tennessee and my grandparents have lied their way out of things when i try to get away from them or tell someone what they do its emotional and verbal abuse and its making me sick i want to runaway and go somwhere but im not sure if i will be forced to return home if im found can anyone give me any advice plz thanks its urgent

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen.
Leaving home is a big decision, because you know your situation the best only you can make the decision if leaving home is best for you. Safety is the top priority and you can call or chat with us and we can help you with a safety plan.
If you would like to talk further about your situation or have any more questions, please call or chat with us. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support to you. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

What should I bring with me to keep me safe if I leave home?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,

Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, it takes great courage to reach out and we appreciate you for reaching out to us.
You have some really great questions, which is great that you are thinking about your safety. It can be dangerous no matter what time of day you decide to run away. You know your situation the best so we will let you decide if running away is the best decision for you.
We do have some information although we are not legal experts we can tell you what may happen. If you leave home without permission your legal guardian can file a runaway report. If the police do find you regardless of what state, you are in they may bring you back home. Also if you do decide to run away you are at a higher risk of danger and homelessness.
If you would like to ask more questions or explore your options further, please chat with us or give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

Is it better to run away during the day or around midnight? I'm on a sort of probation at home so my parents won't leave the house without me. I'm not in trouble with the law or anything, and I know for sure that I'm going to run away soon, I just don't know if it would be safer during the day or at night.

I've also been wondering if I should go to a different city or maybe even state. I would love to stay in Texas but if I go to a different city or state will I have less chance of getting caught?

[ccsmod0]

Hey 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 is great that you are trying to prioritize your education and trying to be responsible by making a plan. 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.
The easiest way to leave home is with your parents' permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to your parents. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering.
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

Please click the link below to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Hello im ******* from IL, I’m 15 soon about to be 16. I want to runaway to MD from IL to get more opportunities since i really want to go to MD since there is a specific school that is my dream high school that i really want to go to. My mom don’t understand me and is close minded. I talked about it with my parents but my mom didn’t agreed that i should move there too far and i tires my best to conceived her that sometimes she has to let her daughter go so i can move there with my dad but as i said she don’t agree so i can’t go there. It my dream high school since it has really good medical clubs etc and i would think what jobs i want to do in the future in MD, also i can restart my life there and here it alright but heard that there is the best to go to college and everything. If i run away leaving a note behind the reasons and take bus to arrive there, And i went to my other side of my family house would they get in trouble? or would my parents be in trouble?, cps getting on me?

[ccsmod16]

Thank you for reaching out to us; we are glad that you did. You didn’t mention your reasons for wanting to leave and live with your aunt, but we understand that youth want to run away because of things happening to them at home.

We are not legal experts, but it is possible for your aunt to have trouble for taking you in. There is not a law for harboring, but for intentionally concealing, or with holding a youth from the guardian is considered a crime. This is the big answer, but if we can talk together, we can help you identify some options for your situation.

We would like to talk this over with you and we are here for you 24/7. The best way for us to help you is if we can talk together either by phone at 1-800-786-2929 (1-800-RUNAWAY) or via live chat through www.1800runaway.org We are here to listen and help, and we hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS

Hey, I’m a 16 year old turning 17 in may. I live in Michigan and I want to move to Wisconsin when I turn 17 and I know that according to law the police cannot forcefully bring you home in less you’re in danger. But I don’t know about running away to another state if then they can forcefully bring me home or not. I want to move in with my aunt and help rent a place with her but can she get arrested for aiding and abedding a runaway? Can she get charged with harboring a runaway? I plan to move to Wisconsin, get a job and start my life and get emancipated this summer but I just wanted to know if my aunt or I could get charged.

[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

I am about to turn 17 and was wondering if I could go live in Utah with my grandma without parent consent because i think it’s best for me. I live in Texas right now.