Im 17 and i Need to move out

Re: Im 17 and i Need to move out

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are in a really tough situation at home. No one has the right to hurt you and you are very brave for trying to find options to make your situation better. That’s great that you have a safe place where you can stay and have people outside your family who are supportive.

You mentioned that you're thinking about leaving home and staying somewhere else. If you leave home without permission, your parents/guardians could report you as a runaway and the police would be authorized to return you home. If you are reported as a runaway it’s typically just a status offense; however, sometimes people helping runaways are at risk for charges such as harboring a runaway. This charge is often considered a misdemeanor, but might be something to explore if you or whoever you would be staying with are concerned.

In some areas the police handle runaway cases for people age 17 a little differently. They may not actively search for you or they might just check if you are safe but not force you to return home. The way police handle runaway cases can vary from county to county and even among police districts. If you want to know for sure how the police in your area handle runaway cases at your age, you could call your police non-emergency line and ask them hypothetically how they handle such cases. If this is something you’re not comfortable with, we can help by calling out to the police for you or by looking up the appropriate number for where you live.

Again, you do not deserve any form of abuse from your father. It is not okay that he beats you, threatens to kill your dogs, or attacks you verbally. You mentioned that you’ve contacted the proper authorities before about the abuse that you’ve had to go through at home. We’re sorry to hear that they weren’t as helpful as you had hoped. Unfortunately, in order to leave home legally, Child Protective Services typically has to be involved. We understand that it’s really frustrating and that you haven’t had a good experience with them in the past. Is there a case manager or someone else you trust who can provide you with some support on this issue? There’s a support line that specializes in abuse issues called Child Help USA: 1-800-422-4453. They might be able to talk with you a little further about your concerns related to the abuse at home and what steps you can take.

Another resource that you might be able to look into if you’re looking for a safe place to go and talk to someone, would be to visit The National Safeplace website (www.nationalsafeplace.org). This organization provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need. You can look up your city and state to see if there are any safe places near you listed. They are usually places like designated agencies, shelters, fire stations, libraries, etc. So that is always an option if you feel like talking to someone in person and what has been going on or if you just need of a safe place to stay.

There's definitely a lot to think about when leaving home, like who you would stay with, how you would get there, how you would enroll in school, and how you would pay for things. We are happy to discuss with you some safe options specific to your situation if you decide to call or chat with us.

Stay strong,
NRS

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