Please Help

[Guest]

My dad and brother ruin my life. My brother beats me up constantly and made holes in my wall and threatened to kill me. My dad drinks every week and does it in excess. He is a drunk and everyone knows it. Today my dad took my iPod, which i paid for with my own money no help from him. I want to runaway because there is more problems but i do not want to write them. I wanted to know does he really have the legal right to take my iPod? Where can i stay if i runaway? I still want to talk to some of my relatives but how can i avoid my father. I talked to my friends and they told me not to runaway, but i made up my mind i want to leave.

[ccsmod7]

Re: Please Help

Thanks so much for writing in and telling us about your situation. It sounds like things at home are not going so well right now and haven’t been for some time. You mentioned that both your dad and brother are causing a lot of problems in your life. You said that your brother is constantly threatening you and beating you up and your dad drinks a lot. It has to be hard living at home when you are constantly feeling threatened or attacked by your dad or brother. No body deserves to be treated that way and it’s understandable that you have thought about leaving with everything that is going on. Is there anyone else that lives in the house with your? Or is it just your dad and brother? How long have these problems been going on for? Have you ever spoken with anyone about the situation? A friend, family member, or even a teacher? You mentioned wanting to speak with some of your relatives about the situation. Have you been able to do that? We are not lawyers here so we don’t know the legal ramifications for your dad taking your ipod, or if he has any right to do so. You mentioned that you have already made up your mind to leave. Have you thought about where you would go if you left? So you have someone you trust that you may be able to stay with until you figure out what you want to do? What do you think your dad would do if he found out you left? Do you think he would make a runaway report? If you feel unsafe or if there is abuse going on at home you have every right to tell someone about it and/or report it to Child Protective Services. If you feel you want to talk more in depth about this situation you can always give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are a completely confidential hotline and available 24 hours a day. We are not here to tell you what to do, but rather be here to support you, discuss options, and even find resources specifically in your area. If you find yourself in a situation where you possibly need a shelter or a safe place we can help with that. It’s good that you’re trying to look at your options and discuss the situation in order to figure out what is going to be best for you. In the meantime stay safe and take care, and remember that we are here anytime you may need to talk.

[Guest]

Re: Please Help

i decided not to leave me and my family talked it out and everything seems to be getting better. Thanks!

[ccsmod3]

Re: Please Help

Thank you for giving us an update. We are glad to hear that you and your family talked it out and everything seems to be getting better. If you ever need anything else, you can always contact us. Remember that our hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY can be reached 24/7. We hope things continue getting better at home. Good luck!

-NRS