im 15 and wanting to run away

[ccsmod15]

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out to us at National Runaway Safeline. We’re glad you contacted us and we are here to help.
You explained your grandpa does drugs, yells at you, and threatens to send you away because he doesn’t like when you play xbox and hang out with your friends. We’re very sorry to hear this is going on. This must be a difficult situation to be in. You certainly deserve to be treated well and with care. While NRS doesn’t define what abuse is and is not, you may consider reaching out to the Childhelp USA hotline at 1-800-422-4453 to get more information and support on making a child abuse report if this is something you want to consider. If you’d like, we are also available if you call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY to walk you through this process as we understand it can be difficult.
Are there people in your life that you can reach out to for support when it gets difficult at home? You may consider reaching out to a trusted adult, family member, or school counselor.
You also mentioned that you are considering running away to your friend’s house. One thing to consider is that if you run away, your grandparents can file a runaway report if you decide to leave home. This means that you can be returned to the home if you are discovered by the police. Most states have laws against harboring a runaway, so this is another thing to consider.
Regardless of what you decide to do, your safety is our number one concern. Please do not hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY to discuss options and resources that you can use in addressing your issue at home.
Best of luck,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

im a 15 yr old going through the same thing but im facing jail time im running away to and its no one elses choice but your own good luck

[ccsmod10]

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

Hello There!


Thank you for your response to another user’s post. Often forums are a place of support and understanding for many youth. It often may be validating and helpful for users to read similar situations as well as exchange feedback to one another. For anyone experiencing any difficulties or challenges, the National Runaway Safeline encourages youth to reach out to our 24/7 crisis support line either by phone or chat for immediate services.
Thank you,
NRS

[Unregistered]

leaving house

I am 16 years old girl that wants to leave my house immedeatly, i dont feel like i fit in this family anymore there was lots of things happening in my family before and it still happens sometimes i really want to leave my family says they hate me they want me to go and never come back i didnt go to school on friday because i dont feel like i can learn, i feel like everyone in my family hates me i cant stay here no longer i want to go live somewhere else im scared to live here i wanted to leave for the past few years now and sometimes when i used to be late home my stepdad used to kick me out and i had no where to go, i always get yelled at im sick of this life i know im not that great kid but i cant live here anymore. please help me!!

[ccsmod2]

re: leaving house

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. You don't deserve to deal with verbal abuse from your family. You seem pretty upset with your home life and you mentioned that you want to leave home. 18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police. What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc.) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth. If you need support or someone to talk to we are here 24/7.

Take care,
NRS

[Unregistered]

I'm 15 and I wanna leave, I don't know what to do.

Hello I'm 15 and I don't know if there is anything I can do. I was adopted when I was very young and I get treated way differently than their biological children. I've maintained a 4.0 gpa and I'm very involved in school activities however I get grounded for doing the slightest things for months. I have no relationship with my mother and I hate being home. Due to being forced to stay home without a phone and not being able to talk to my friends I've started sneaking out, and I've also stolen. I'm not proud of the things I've done and I'm not blaming my parents but they will not let me do anything. I've gone through a lot of emotional stuff with my first real relationship and my mom just makes me constantly feel like ********. I want to leave. I know that some of the choices I've made aren't okay but besides that I know what I want to do with my life and I have the grades and ability to do it. My life is hell. I've talked to other adults in my house and they all see they way my mother treats me along with other friends and family. I don't know if there is anything I can do about anything but wait until I turn 18. I've tried talking to her, I've talked to my dad as well but my mom just kinda avoids it's. I don't want to be here.

[ccsmod15]

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

Hello, thank you very much for reaching out.
Your situation seems very frustrating, isolating, and unfair. You don’t deserve to be treated the way your mom is treating you. It’s understandable you hate being home because of it. It’s also normal to be going through a lot of emotional stuff with your first real relationship, but it’s great that you reached out to the other adults in your house, to other friends and relatives, and to the National Runaway Safeline. It’s not easy opening up and sharing personal problems with others, but you did and it shows how courageous you are.
Please know that you deserve to live in a supportive environment with more autonomy, including being able to talk to friends, and so you have many options. One option may be filing an abuse/neglect report on your mom for constantly making you feel bad. You stated that others have witnessed how bad she treats you, and that could possibly help your case. The number to report abuse or neglect is 1-800-252-2873. If you would like assistance with this, we can help you file the report either by calling with you, or by calling on your behalf.
Another option could be taking advantage of our mediating services. If you would like, we can schedule a three way conference call between you, your mother, and a liner (one of us) to try and come to some kind of understanding and/or compromise between the two of you. If this is not an option in your situation, perhaps we can relay a message for you. We can give your mom a message from you, which might help her see things from your perspective.
These are just a few of many other options available to you. In order to better help you, we would need more details. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-621-0394. We are available 24 hours, seven days a week. Or you can check us out online at https://www.1800runaway.org/ if you would rather chat. Remember, we are %100 confidential and non-judgmental.
We look forward to hearing from you and helping you out further.
Best of luck!

[Unregistered]

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

Hello, I'm 15 almost 16 and my gf has broken up with me. My family is great but they don't support me in a kind of manner. I'm very devestated due to her. I just want to get out of here nothing wrong with family I just believe it's time for me to be on my own. I love my gf to death but she doesn't back. I want to leave home but then ik cops will get called. Ik the consequences, it's just how can I leave here without getting caught

[ccsmod14]

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

Hi there,

Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We’re sorry to hear about your recent break-up but we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.

You mentioned wanting to know how you can leave home before turning 18. We’re not legal experts here but we can speak generally about your options. 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without a parent or legal guardian’s permission, this varies from state to state depending on the age of majority. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home by police. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.

The easiest way to leave home is with your parent or legal guardian’s permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to them. We are also available as a resource to facilitate a conference call with your family and to help your side get heard. You can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY if this option is something you may be interested in pursuing.

Please reach out soon so that we may offer support or discuss resources and with you.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

im 15 and my family is being unfair and grounding me for stupid reasons. i want to run away to live with mt friends family. yesterday i got grounded for a friend taking me home bc my mom wasnt there to pick me up. i need help please.

[ccsmod16]

Please see the response below. Thank you!

[Guest]

I am 15 and want to run away to live with my friend.

My family is being overreative and i have to walk for 2 hours to get home my friend is loving and caring and i cant live with my family anymore I NEED help please.

[ccsmod16]

Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. You mentioned that your family has stopped listening to your concerns which sounds frustrating. You are hopeful that living with your friend’s a family would offer a more supportive environment.

At your age of 15, your parents have legal responsibility for your care including the decision of where you live. At the National Runaway Safeline, we have access to a database of resources including legal aid, youth shelter, and family and personal counseling that may be of support. We also can support you in creating a safety plan to help you work through your options. You can access this personalized support by calling 1-800-Runaway (1-800-786-2929) 24 hours a day. Another option is to access our chat services which is available most days after 4:30PM Central Time to have a conversation if you prefer communication using texting.

Our objective is to offer you a confidential method to discuss your options and help decide next steps that will keep you safe. Thanks again for seeking our help. Good luck!

[Guest]

(female) So im almost 15 in like 2 months and my brother always phyiscally abuses me but leaves no marks so i cant get any proof for a court case and my whole family which has 2 brothers and 2 sisters and my parents they always call me horrible names and i finally stood up the other day saying im not staying here anymore but i dont have anything i can put in the court to leave and i want to move back an hour and a half back to my friends that i love to call family to me.

[ccsmod2]

Hi,

You don't deserve to deal with abuse from your brother. We recognize that you may be feeling really frustrated with that situation and want to leave home. We are here if you need to talk or want support. Being 15, it can be hard to leave home like you want to, but if you want to talk about ways you can stay safe you can reach out to us by call or chat. We are non directive at NRS so we won't be able to give you legal advice or recommendations. But we will do our best to help.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

So me and my two friends are going to run away. We can't tell our patents we just want to up and go. Is this possible?

[ccsmod14]

Hi there,

Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.

While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.

We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by bulletin or e-mail to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.

Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Me and my friends are all 13, We want to run off. Its 3 of us. We can't tell our parents because we just want away from them. Please how can we get by on our own?

[ccsmod14]

Hi there,

Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we are glad you reached out to us with your questions.

While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.

Unfortunately, we do not provide strategy on how to runaway but we do try to come up with some options that fit within the realm of the law. For example, if you are having issues at home with your parents, we offer a conference call option where we facilitate a conversation between a youth and their legal guardian to discuss issues at home and come up with some agreements. We also can provide some resources to organizations as well like community centers that offer family counseling or free legal assistance.

We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.

Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I just don't feel like living with my mom anymore. I'm 15 soon will be 16 in September 2017. Can I chose to move out and live with my 25 year old cousin? My mom treats me like someone she hates really bad. All she does is go around telling lies and breaking me and my family apart! Were constintally getting into big arguements everyday so I stay up in my room and don't come out. Then she tells everyone I have to be doing some kind of drugs or something to stay up in my room all day till they go to bed. On the weekends I don't stay home. What should I do about this?

[ccsmod8]

Hello there –

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to get into contact with us here at the National Runaway Safeline on our public forum, we are always here to listen and here to help in any way that we can. Hopefully by supporting you there are other that are reading through this thread that can relate can feel helped as well.

As you have probably have read a lot on this public forum, we here at NRS are not legal experts. The laws on that specific subject of running away vary from state to state. Generally what typically happens in each state is if you are below the legal age of majority (18 in most states except Alabama and Nebraska [19 or upon marriage], and Mississippi [21]), your parents would be able to make a runaway report in the event that you do run away.

The only way that you will be removed from your parent’s custody legally and live somewhere else is if you were to report any abuse that was happening at home and there was an investigation or if you filed for emancipation (every state is different, but you have to be 16 years or older) or if there was a court decision to transfer custody to someone else. Those are the only three ways that you could legally leave home that we know of. If you have any further questions, it might be best to reach out to a legal expert for more information.

Your parents may give you permission to live with another family (i.e your 25 year old cousin), but without getting an official document from the court they would still be legally responsible for you. Which means that they can also take away that permission at any given moment and take you back home to live with them once again. Maybe coming up with a solid plan about what you’re planning on doing, how everything is going to work, and any miscellaneous things could be helpful in them seeing how much work you have put into this plan.

Hope that this information helps!