16 yrs old/possibly abusive situation who knows

[Unregistered]

hi, i just turned 16. i don't have a job or a license yet. my parents tried to kill me a few years ago and i've had some mental health issues following. they're very strict and have isolated me and monitored me ever since they've tried to kill me, they drew me out of public school and limited contact with friends. when my mental health got worse they got frustrated, and home life just became more aggressive. this combined with my mental health isn't so... nice. they repeatedly stress that if i don't feel safe living with them i should just move out, or that as long as i live with them, i belong to them, everything i do belongs to them, etc., i suspect they may be abusive. is there anyway i can move out? i suspect the time it would take me to become financially stable and the court transactions of emancipation to end i'll already be almost 18 and might as well stick it out and try to placate them. i live in california.

[ccsmod11]

RE: 16 yrs old/possibly abusive situation who knows

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. It sounds like you’ve really been through a lot and it’s been hard on you. No one deserves to live in such a strict home where they don’t feel safe. Mental health issues can be difficult enough by themselves, let alone when combined with the stress of living in such a scary environment. Not only that, but it sounds like your parents have put you in a really tough situation, saying that you either have to stay at home or run away.

You mentioned that you think what your parents are doing may be abuse. One thing you can do is contact your local Child Protective Services (CPS) and let them know what is going on at home. They may be able to send someone out to help. If you ever feel like you are in immediate danger or are being abused, you can definitely call 9-1-1 to get help from the police. We know these can both be scary things to do or think about, but your safety is a top priority.

You mentioned the emancipation process. We aren’t legal experts and can only talk in general terms, but you are right that it usually takes a lot of time and money. That’s why it can be helpful to have the police or CPS aware of your situation. For more information on emancipation you can go to http://www.lsc-sf.org/problems/emancipation.html or http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp...cip/emanqa.htm or call legal services for children toll free at 1(88368-6010

You can always call us at our 24/7 hotline 1(800)RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are here to support you and can talk through your options. If you were interested, we could make an abuse report with you on the line. But whatever you feel like you would like to do, we’re here to help you out as best as we can.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.