16 and need advice on rights of a pregnant minor

Re: 16 and need advice on rights of a pregnant minor

Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. This sounds like a complicated situation and we are here to offer you support at a scary time like this. No one should ever have to fear for their physical safety and your girlfriend deserves a safe place to live. We are proud of you for helping your girlfriend through this difficult time.

You’ve mentioned that your girlfriend has told the police that she is being abused and that they haven’t done anything. Going to the police is a good first step, and I’m very sorry that they haven’t done more to help. You may want to consider speaking with other adults that you trust. This could include a teacher or counselor at school. It could also be an adult relative such as an aunt or grandparent who may be able to offer support as well. If she is in immediate physical danger she should always call emergency services. It sounds like she is also under a lot of pressure from them to have an abortion. Has she seen a doctor for her medical needs? Pregnancy can require a lot of medical support and it is important that she is having her needs met. A doctor and medical staff could also support her through her pregnancy and advise her on her medical rights. If you need help to find a clinic near her, you can try looking online at http://sexetc.org/action-center/clinic-finder/ or calling Planned Parenthood at 1-800-230-7526. Your girlfriend is entitled to a safe place to stay and we are here to help support you both. If she needs to find a safe space, you can also try http://nationalsafeplace.org/. They can help to provide her with a immediate safe place to stay temporarily.

Like we tell a lot of our callers and/or people that email us, the laws on that specific subject of running away vary from state to state. Generally what typically happens in each state is since she is below the legal age of majority (18 in most states except Alabama and Nebraska [19 or upon marriage], and Mississippi [21]), her parents would be able to make a runaway report in the event that you do run away. Since it’s only considered a statues offense and not a crime to run away, the only thing that would happen is that the police will pick her up and bring her back home. This is of course if she had any interaction with the police directly or if they stopped her to ask her a few questions.

We’ve given you some resources but would love to discuss more options with you and your girlfriend at any time. We are here to offer you support 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We’re proud of you for supporting your girlfriend and seeking out other resources. We’re grateful that you reached out to us and hope to hear from you at 1-800-RUNAWAY soon.

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