im 15 and wanting to run away

I'm 14 almost 15 my mom is overprotective more than most my religion sucks she won't let me leave and living with her is worse she doesn't beat me she is just a piece of crap all the time and I don't want to live her any more

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS!

We are always here to listen and here to help in any way that we can. It can be very frustrating not knowing what to do or what your next step might be from this point on. It’s brave of you to reach out during your time of need. We have a database of resources and if you’re able to call in, we can try to brainstorm with you and get a better idea of your situation. If you are thinking about running away and somewhere to stay, we can try to find a runaway shelter for you. Unfortunately, we are non-directive at NRS, and can't give out advice, but we're always here to talk and listen.

Our safeline is open 24/7. We also have a chatting service via our website, unfortunately, it is not always open. The best way to contact us would be to call in and talk with our trained liners.

Be well, NRS

I hate home I have great parents but it’s not working out

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting us at the National Runaway Safeline. We're sorry to hear about all that you and your girlfriend have been facing and want you both to know that you deserve to feel happy and safe in your homes. We understand that it takes a great deal of courage to seek help. You mentioned you and your girlfriend experiencing emotional and physical abuse which may be reportable against your parents. Please keep in mind you and her by no means deserve any type of abuse, emotional or otherwise. That said, we can’t be 100% sure what the outcome will be if your local CPS decides to open a case based on what you share. Sometimes CPS decides to remove minors from the home and other times they offer services such as family counseling or mediation instead. The only way to know the outcome might be to reach out to them directly and if you’re ready to do that we are here to help you through that process. Reaching out to Child Help USA at (1-800-422-4453) or www.childhelp.org may help to get a better understanding of what may happen before and after a report is made.

We are not legal experts, but we can tell you because you both are minors, if you leave home and your parents file a runaway report, you could be returned home. There could also be legal consequences for whomever you stay with for what is called harboring a runaway. If you want a liner to help you walk through other options like us mediating a conference call between you and your parents, thinking through possible adults that you could turn to or could advocate for you, or things like emancipation and legal aid numbers, don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Reporting the abuse you could also change the way the police handle your case if you decide to run away.

Be safe,

NRS

15 and My girlfriend and I want to run away

i don’t know where to begin, my girlfriend and I have been thinking about running away together, I’m 15 and she is 16. Her parents doesn’t like me and my parents doesn’t like her, so they don’t let us see each other often. That’s not all, her parents doesn’t love her as well, they always talk about how much she should just kill herself because they see her as a burden, they even abuse her physically. My parents, I know doesn’t really love me, my father always points out my mistakes and judges me and what I do, our parents knows we have depression but they don’t really care. I once gave my parents a “what if” question, which is “what if I want to kill myself” and they said I was crazy and stupid and my father offered to give me a knife to cut my throat. My girlfriend and I have a lot in common and that includes our families. We’ve thought about running away together, away from our parents, but we don’t know what to do, where to stay, how not to get caught, and how we’ll survive. Please help.

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation, and we understand it takes courage to reach out for help.
It can be difficult to know how to talk to your mom and express your feelings about how you are feeling about their relationship and them fighting. We would encourage you to reach out to a trusted adult, teacher, relative, and friend that you can talk to and potentially help you mediate a conversation with your parents about your current situation. At NRS, we do offer a service call conference calling, where you can call into our hotline and then we would reach out to your guardian and help advocate for you, help you express the needs of to your parents.

We aren’t legal experts, but we have general knowledge about running away. In most states, running away isn’t illegal, but what is called a status offense. You can’t get arrested for it but it will mostly likely go on your record until you are 18. The police will only know if you have runaway if your parents/guardians file a police report. We can’t say for sure how the police will respond, but we hear a lot that police will take potential places you might be and will actively search for you. If they come across you, the most likely will return you home to your parents. Sometimes we hear that if you are staying with someone who knows you are a runaway and are not actively trying to return you or finding shelter for you, your guardians/or police can press charges against the people who are housing you, with something that is called harboring. One of our main goals is to make sure you are safe, so if you ever seriously decide to run away and need shelter, resources, or a safe place to go you can find safe locations at nationalsafeplace.org or reach out to us directly and we can find local resources in your area.

We are here for you and will support you in anyway that we can. Please feel free to call into us directly as we can talk further about your situation and find resources that are best for you in your area. Stay strong and you are not alone in this! Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY we are open 24/7.

-NRS

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I'm a 14 year old girl and I just cant live at home anymore. My mom and her boyfriend are always fighting and I just cant deal with it anymore. I have two younger siblings which keep me from running but I dont think I can protect them anymore. I need help from someone!!!

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We're sorry to hear about how you've been feeling and want you to know that you deserve to feel safe and listened to at home. We are not legal experts, but we can tell you that because you are a minor, if you leave home and your parents file a runaway report, you could be returned home. There could also be legal consequences for whomever you stay with for what is called harboring a runaway. If you want a liner to help you walk through other options like us mediating a conference call between you and your parents, thinking through possible adults that you could turn to or could advocate for you, or things like emancipation and legal aid numbers, don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). It can be difficult to have a conversation with your parents if they're seemingly unwilling to engage with you and only yell or get angry. Sometimes it can be helpful to have another adult around when you’re trying to talk to them so that they can stand up for you and try to keep the conversation calm and fair. That person could be a guidance counselor, other family member, or any other adult you trust. You mentioned that you don't have a lot of support and we know that could feel really isolating. Here at NRS, we offer a conference call service and can help you have a conversation about your needs and wants with your parents. Don't hesitate to give us a call.

You can also always reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 if you are thinking about suicide again and need help. They are 24/7 and always there to listen and support.

Best,

NRS

thinking about running away. my family isnt bad to me on purpose but theyre bad at being parents and if i tried to say something and they didnt agree id just get yelled at and screwed over. they hardly ever think theyre wrong and fixing things is more trouble than its worth, ive felt so hopeless because of my family and have considered suicide more than once but talked myself out of it in hopes of having a happier life by myself. im ready to leave and be in my own but the thing is im 15 and female and ive moved to a place where theres no one i can really count on, plus i dont know where things are since ive just moved here. i care about my education and dont want to leave school, but im so sick of living with these people, "family", and i just want to get a job and have a home by myself and never see them again. i dont know what to do or where to start though, i also have a boyfriend whos 17 and i dont want to leave him, hes told me he wanted to leave home too and i think itd be great to leave togethee and help eachother out but the thing is that once hes 18 things get more complicated with law and i dont know what to think or do...

[ccsmod15]

We are so sorry that you are facing this really tough situation. You deserve to be in a supportive environment, and it sounds like the situation at home is neglectful.

Here are a few options to consider. You've had some interaction with DFS already, and we're just responding based on the info you gave us, but there may be more things you can do to get help through them. If there was a social worker assigned to your case, consider touching base with them, if you haven't already, emphasizing how the home situation affects you, and asking what options and next steps you may have. If you have a friend or relative you trust, and it feels helpful, you could also bring someone like that along.

You can also call Child Help at 1-800-422-4453. They are an information line for child abuse reporting, and what you described may apply. You can outline your situation, and find out what other options you might have from them. They are mandated reporters, but if you call anonymously, you don't have to commit to child abuse reporting unless you are ready.

We are not legal experts, but our understanding is that whoever your guardian is can approve of an alternative living situation. So if living with your sister is better, as long as your guardian approves, you can live there. It might be worthwhile to explore who has guardianship of you and whether reaching out to them is worthwhile. Since you only mentioned your mom, we don't know if there might be other people who would have guardianship .

And if it is your mom who has guardianship, consider if reaching out there is an option. Sometimes families do come to an arrangement. If it's helpful, you might also talk this over with a family member or friend who you both trust who can see your side, and be there as a support when you talk to her. You can also consider if there is a time of the week when she is less stressed, and might be more open to having a conversation about this.

We are not legal experts, but our understanding is that it is never illegal to run away. It is a status offense, where the police are obligated to return you to your guardians. This is only triggered, though, if a guardian files a runaway report. There can be situations where a youth lives elsewhere, and a guardian simply hasn't filed a runaway report. If you do run away, the most important thing is your safety. Be sure that you have people you trust who you can stay with, and people you can contact if you get into a difficult situation.

As a runaway, you have a right to continue going to school. The only crime associated with runing away is called Harboring a Runaway. But our understanding is that this only comes up if someone who is providing shelter to the youth does not cooperate with police, or is hiding the youth.

You can also call us, and we can brainstorm more options together.

It's awesome that you've acknowledged how the situation has affected you, and are taking steps to be an environment where you get the support you need.

[ccsmod7]

Thanks so much for reaching out to us. That is a great first step. Sounds like you’re in a very challenging situation and thinking through the options, as you’re doing, is important.

Regarding emancipation, each state has its own laws. Usually you need to be 16 years old to petition for emancipation. It can be a complicated process and take time. You can call us (the National Runaway Safeline) at 1-800-786-2929 to learn more about your particular state’s laws. Also, if you’re living with your parents or another guardian, it may be worth talking to them about your brother’s behavior – or an adult at your school about this situation. It can be helpful to talk to other adults who may be able to offer some comfort and guidance.

Another option is an alternative living arrangement. If your guardian/parents are supportive of this, you can work with someone at your high school, typically, to help document this arrangement so that you can stay at a friend’s house, if they would want that as well.
Please feel free to call the National Runaway Safeline at 1-800-786-2929. We are here 24/7 and can talk through your specific situation with you to see about options or resources that may be of help. Again, thanks for reaching out to us today.

I'm 15 turning 16 in October. I recently got in a fight wit my older brother. He three me around and hurt me. I want to get emancipation. I have a join that pays 7 an hour. I work for 11-13 hours the week. They pay me weekly .I basically have been buying my own food clothing and everything. I just need to find a home .will I still be able to be emancipated if I can't find a home. Or if I stay at a friends house.

I am 15, about two months ago DFS took me from my home and i live with my sister but now I am going to be forced to go back with my mom. I can not go back there. My depression gets so bad when i live with her, she can’t take care of anything and she’s extremely lazy. She doesn’t cook or clean I have to take care of my 13 year old sister and she has disabilities and it’s really hard.

[ccsmod7]

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline for your son's girlfriend. It sounds like she is in a difficult situation, and we are glad that she has a supportive adult in her life like yourself. The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (USA). Our knowledge of helpful community based resources and our understanding of youth in crisis related laws is limited to the USA. If you are located in a country outside of the USA, you can use this link to find a youth helpline in or around your country: https://www.childhelplineinternation...pline-network/.

We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.

Best,

NRS

my sons is 14 yrs old and his girlfriend is 14 and has just had the implant her mum has found out and is trying to make her get it removed she is worried that if she refuses her mum will send her to live with her father at the other side of the country and has asked me if she could move in with us what rights does she have and what can i legally do to help her i fell pregnant at 17 yrs so am proud she has took responsibility to prevent this but her mum doesnt seem to agree what am i legally able to do to help her and what rights does my sons girlfriend have