17 and want to run away

[Guest]

Hello,
I am a 17 year old girl living in Calgary
My father is currently out of the country and i live with only my mom and much younger siblings for at least another month
I still have to go to school ...
I dont have a job right now and no friends that i could ask to stay with but my mom is making it really unbearable to stay at home with, she keeps asking for 60 dollars that i owe her and told her i cannot pay her right now, she makes me pay for my own bus passes to get to school, i paid my own school fees, amongst other things, i currently dont have a job so i cannot pay her back right now
It is getting stressful to add money and family problems on top of school
Weather can get pretty cold here but i really dont think i can stay at home
Could i please have tips and suggestions on what to do? staying at home really is not an option at this point

[ccsmod14]

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. Your safety and well-being is important, you do not have to face this alone---there are different forms of help out there for you.

You mentioned wanting to know how you can leave home before turning 18. We noticed you mentioned living in Calgary, which might be in Canada. We’re not legal experts here nor do we typically speak on Canadian issues but we can speak generally about your options. 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without a parent or legal guardian’s permission in the U.S., this varies from state to state depending on the age of majority. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home by police (which is not a criminal offense, it is a status offense). Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway (this is a criminal offense). 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 as a minor is with your parent’s 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. You may also want to consider asking around about resources that are Canadian specific if you are in Canada.

Please remember you can reach us directly to explore more or other options by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat which is open every day from 4:30p to 11:30p CST and can be accessed here:

http://www.1800runaway.org/

National Runaway Safeline
[email protected] (crisis email)
1-800-RUNAWAY (24 Hour Hotline)

Take care,
NRS