17 Emotionally abusive ran away help

[Guest]

I’m 17 years old and things all my life have been tough because of the decisions of my mother. Even so, she would be there for me emotionally and we would have each others back. After her divorce in April however she had been drinking and going out every night. This led to us being homeless for these months, it now being September. We moved in with her boyfriend but he is emotionally abusive to me and my 7 year old sister and my mother but she blows it off and takes his side. I got tired of the abuse so I left (him urging me to leave saying I’m bluffing and bet I’ll come back) and I’m not going back. Not to prove a point but because I can’t take it no more. Mind you this house has no water or air conditioning and is very disgusting which they try to force me to clean. I just need to know how I can get my sister and I out of there. I’m staying at a friends for the night but I need somewhere where our needs are finally met and is stable. I’ll do chores and take care of my sister so please help. I just wanna go to a foster family or something.

[ccsmod6]

Hey and thank you for reaching out to us in this time of crisis. We understand that it takes a lot of strength to leave dangerous situations, especially when they involve family members or those close to us. It is unfortunate that your relationship with your mother has deteriorated to the point of you having to run away. However, it is good that you have friends that are willing to support you through this difficult time. The housing circumstances that you described do sound like they constitute neglect. Additionally, your parents are not allowed to tell a minor, which depending on what state you are in you might be, to leave or kick you out as that is also considered neglect.If you are interested in reporting this abuse or understanding what that process looks like and what the consequences might be, Child Help, the National Child Abuse Hotline is a great resource. They are reachable at 1 800 422 4453 or at childhelp.org. If you are looking for shelter resources or alternative living arrangements, we recommend that you contact us at our 24/7 hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY, or on our chat service at 1800runaway.org. Thank you and take care.