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hello , I will be 17 in 5 months . I live alone with my single mom her dad and my two sibling which are younger then me . when I was 14 years old my mom decided to have another baby . since then I have babysat her and let her completely take over my entire life . for example , I do everything according to my sisters needs and can’t do anything about it because I am scared of my mom . recently things have gotten really bad . my mom comes home from work and instantly yells and is angry at me , she yells at me for having no friends , and never going out , but when I do she yells at me for going out to much . I get paid to babysit my sister , because my grandpa thinks it is fair but my mom tried to control my money and when I did have a job she would constantly complain and yell at me for spending it . I am homeschooled now , and watch my sister all day and clean . When she gets home she constantly yells at me and my sister and says I am the reason she is bad . therefore I basically watch her all day until she goes to bed . I have been paying for everything I need in life since I had my own money . She hasn’t needed to buy me clothes , makeup , toiletries or anything . She takes all her anger out on me and will call me mean names , like “whore “ “ slut “ she’ll call me a loser and say I don’t ever do anything around the house . she chooses mt brother and sister over me constantly and I sometimes feel like it would be better if I wasn’t even alive . I just want to know if I could legally move out at 16 if I can get a job and live with my boyfriend ? i could possibly wait till I’m 18 but I just can’t . I’m tired of feeling neglected and exhausted every day .
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Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out, it can be really hard to ask for help. You are strong to be looking for options. You don’t deserve to be yelled at or called names. It’s not ok for your mom to be treating you this way. It sounds like you have a lot of responsibility!
Again, we are really glad you reached out. You are so brave to keep fighting for yourself. The way your mom is treating you, it’s understandable you feel like you are ready to give up. We see you fighting and are so proud! If you ever feel like it is too much to handle you can reach out to us (1800-run-away) or the National Suicide prevention lifeline (800-273-8255).
You mentioned you want to live with your boyfriend. It’s great you have someone so supportive and willing to help. Some things to talk about before you move in is to make sure everyone is on the same page with how long you can live there, if you will need a job, or to pay rent. If you want to talk about these things in more depth you can call or chat with us (1-800-273-8255; www.1800runaway.org).
It is possible you can move out at 16. You can look into emancipation in your state. They usually require you to have someplace to live and are self-sufficient financially. We can help you look up the requirements in your area. Another option is an alternative living situation. This requires you to get permission from your parents. It can be in writing, or some places have paperwork to fill out at your local police station. This way you can legally live somewhere other than with your legal guardians.
If you want to talk about any of these options in more depth we are here 24/7! Here to listen here to help.
Good Luck!Last edited by ccsmod15; 10-17-2021, 07:13 PM.
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i am like five minutes from packing a bag and running away, i live in las vegas nevada and i am 16 years old. I want to know what would happen if i ran away from home and just never came back. If I pulled it off till i turn 18 would i be in any legal trouble?Comment
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Hello,
Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are considering running away. We are here for you 24/7. We work best when we can have a conversation with you and we want to make sure you are safe.
We are not legal experts but the age of an adult in Las Vegas is 18 years old. If you are under the age of 18 years old you would be considered a minor. In most states, minors are unable to leave the home with their parent/guardians permission. Since you are 16, your parent or guardian could contact the police and file a runaway report. The police may return you home.
Again, we want to make sure you are safe. The National Safe Place provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need. The website can locate a safe place or provide support: https://www.nationalsafeplace.org/.
We are here to help through this challenging time. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon at our website https://www.nationalrunawaysafeline.org/ .
Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat.
Take care,
NRS
1-800-RUNAWAY (24 Hour Hotline)
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You hear this every day every second but I need an answer.
I am 16 years old, I was born in July of 2005, I have the burning urge to runaway and never look back. I am in Las Vegas, NV. If I was to leave right now, with my social file and pulled off running away till I was 18 would I be in any legal trouble when I resurface at the legal age of leaving? Like, you know I am 16 and for a year and half when I turn 18, can the law do anything with me or charge me with an offence or anything like that.
There is not really anything going on in my home, I am physically safe and have a bed and clothes. It is the mental damage my mother and step father are putting on me. I hate how they make me feel as a person, like the only thing I should have my mind on is school. I recently told her (my mother) for the second time I hate myself and do not know how I am supposed to channel my focus from staying alive to a homework assignment.
I just need to know, what would happen to me if they found me before I turn 18 or after I turn 18. I am not scared to run away I am just scared on how they will react to it. Could I get arrested for it?Comment
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Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out it shows a lot of courage. It is understandable to feel stress when you feel that you are not being listen to and there is nothing wrong with that. While we are not legal experts nor can we speak to every outcome running away is not illegal, it is considered a status offense. This means that the police can return you to your home.
You mentioned that school is one of things that stress you out it might be worth pursing talking to a teach or school counselor about what’s going on in your life. You can also reach out to NAMI HelpLine which is a free, nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals and support to people living with a mental health conditions, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers and the public they can be reached at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or through their website http://nami.org/ they might be able to provide you with some resource to deal with your mental health.
Another option that we have is where you call into the line, and we can mediate the conversation between you and your parent we do not take side we just try to make sure that both sides are being listen to and that there is a beneficial outcome.
It is important take care of your mental health and remember no one should ever make you feel that you should hate yourself. Remember you are not alone you can always reach out to us 24/7 through chat or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) .
Stay safe and strong,
NRS
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i ran away from home because im not safe there i tried to differnt ways to make sure i am safe but nothings working i want to stay at a freinds house because her family will keep me safe and take care of my needs like food and clothes anything i need. lets say i went to that freinds house and the police find me and they want to take me back home but i wanna stay at the friends house do i have to go back home ? also can i llegally move out at 16Comment
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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 forum 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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Hey I'm 15 and if I runaway in Las Vegas and live with a friend can I get them in trouble I can with my parent anymore she makes my life a hell holeComment
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Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to us. It sounds like you're going through a very difficult time at home right now, and we'll try to help as best as we can.
We're not legal experts, but from what we understand, if you are considered a minor in your state your parent can file a runaway report with your local police department. This means that your parent can request that the police look for you and bring you home. In some states, if your parent involves the police, whoever hosts you can be charged with harboring a runaway. The consequences of that depend on the state. However, if your parent does not involve the police or if they even give you permission to stay with someone else, then there would be no legal consequences for staying with your friend. If you’d like more information on how your local police department handles runaway reports, the best way is to call your local police department at their non-emergency number. If you don’t have that information, just give us a call and we will gladly help you find that info.
We're glad that you have a trusted friend that you feel safe staying with. Everyone deserves a safe place to live and we can explore all of those options with you. The best way for us to help is if you call our hotline at 1800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or use our online chat. We’re here to listen and help in whatever way you feel is best, whether it's to talk more about your options or to help support you with the emotional difficulties of being at home.
Wishing you the best of luck,
NRS
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