im 15 and wanting to run away

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It must be incredibly frustrating to have your mom and step dad treating you so unfairly and hurtfully. It is absolutely inappropriate for your mom to be physically violent with you and we want to acknowledge the courage it took to share that experience with us. What you described could be considered abuse and if you wanted to, you could file a child abuse report. If you want to know more about what that might look like and how to go about doing it, you can call us or the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. One thing to note is that if you do choose to file an abuse report, evidence is strongly considered so it might be wise to take any pictures of injuries you have from your mom if possible.

If you want to talk more about your situation, there may be other options for leaving home. We would be happy to help you figure out a plan that prioritizes your safety so that you can go somewhere where you feel more comfortable. That could be a friend or family member’s house or we would be happy to look through our database of runaway and homeless youth shelters that you may be able to take advantage of. If this interests you or if you simply want the space to speak more about what is going on, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

Hi im a 15yr old girl and i sick and tired of being in a family who acts fake around me and doesnt believe in whatever i say when i say the truth..so my mom had started hitting me for the littlest reasons since she started dating this wimp of a step dad. Hes such a pain in my ass and he tries and acts like hes my dad when i dont know or love him like a father..i have trouble with my anger to the point i would just get so mad and write really messed up stuff about them. Okay earlier today i had asked him to go for a walk w/o my dog and he asked where i was going,how long,ect. And he finally said yes. So grabbed my jean jacket and i was already outside.then she got in his truck and tried to track me down and when i was coming back to the house he got out asking "what i was doing" and wheres your dog" and i was really in the rush to go outside so i can just go out and be completely alone but no!he thinks i was lying to him and kept asking me "who was you trying to meet up with" and in my head i wanted to scream "how can i meet up with anybody since yall bastards took my phone" so i went upstairs and whenever he got in the same room as me i simply walked out.then he texted my mom,i dont know what but he told her and when she got home she started whipping me too hard to the point i started to bleed a little from my forearm and shoulder. And shes tried to kick me out since i made her mad one time but she never kicked me out.i just want to make her dreams come true and just walk out and let her forget she ever had a child i even tried suicide but that didnt work and now i got no options and i really need help to get her and the rest of my family out of my life for good

[ccsmod0]

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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you 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 for assistance. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, 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.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS

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I’m 14 about to turn 15 and I’m a little over weight and my parents are going to make me stay in Mexico and I don’t want to and I don’t know how long I will have to stay I’m going to stay next month and I told them if I stay in going to leave there and go back to border and hopefully ask for help and I’m scared

[ccsmod15]

Thank you for reaching out to us and telling us a bit about your story. Please know that we take your situation seriously and that you absolutely do not deserve to be abused by your family. That's simply wrong. We are here to listen and help as much as we can. You do have options.

One option you have is to file an abuse report on what's going on at home. We know sometimes that is a hard choice to make, but you do have that right. If an abuse report is made it would likely lead to a child protective services investigation. They would likely interview you and your family members and determine what the best course of action is. Sometimes that simply involves talking things through and checking up later to see if things are improving. If things are deemed detrimental to your well being, you could be removed from the home, though this is not always the case immediately. If you want to file an abuse report you can do that through your state's child abuse reporting hotline or through Child Help (www.childhelp.org) at 1-800-422-4453. You can also file through us here at National Runaway Safeline. But again, whether you decide to file or not is up to you. We honor whatever decision you make and support you either way.

It is probably a good idea to seek out supportive people as much as possible. It sounds like you have a supportive boyfriend and other friends, which is good. Your feelings have value and you have the right to be seen and heard. If there are any adults in your life that you feel comfortable with and trust, by all means take advantage of talking with them. Perhaps that's a relative, teacher, counselor, religious leader, or anyone you feel safe with. Of course, we are here for you whenever you want to talk. You can call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us via the portal at www.1800runaway.org. We are a confidential, safe place to talk about whatever you are going through. We can help you figure out what your best options are and can connect you to resources in our database: shelters, counselors, legal aid, and more. Of course, even if you just need to vent, we are here to listen.

We are pretty concerned when you talk about killing yourself. That's pretty serious. If you ever feel suicidal, please reach out for the help you deserve. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is staffed by people trained to talk about suicide, so they are a great resource. You can reach them at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call 1-800-273-8255. You can also reach out to us anytime to talk about suicide or anything else on your mind. We are confidential and open 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY or by chat at www.1800runaway.org. We want you to be safe. Things can get better and you have many options besides suicide.

Please be safe. We welcome you to call or chat with us anytime so we can provide further help and support. Again, our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat with us via www.1800runaway.org.

NRS

I'm a 15 year old girl and ever since my real father beat me with a studded belt my mother sister and step dad have treated me like a slave making me do most of the chores make me get them things and don't give me a lot of freedom I tried to kill my self but failed then I meet my bf and friends and they have said what my family do to me is wrong but they can't help I don't know what to do my mother is verbal I know she has problems with being bipolar and a sociopath but i can't stand staying here any longer

[ccsmod3]

Thank you for reaching out. 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.We hope this helps. Please reach out if we can offer any further support.

i am almost 16 and want to run away because i keep getting accused of steeling when i didn't and i cant handle it any more.

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to write us and share a bit about what's going on at home. Home is supposed to be somewhere you feel comfortable and supported. From what you mentioned, your mom and her partner have been making it incredibly tough to live there. We are gad to hear you are staying somewhere safe, but it is still not okay for your mom to treat you like this.

From what we know, you are not considered a runaway if you leave with permission from your legal guardian. Unfortunately though your mom can take back this permission at any point and choose to make a runaway report. Generally running away is not illegal, but it is status offense. This means that you would not likely be placed in juvenile detention, but your mom can have police assist with returning you home.

Sometimes having an adult advocate on your behalf can be an effective way of getting a parent to listen to your concerns and needs. Perhaps your dad or another adult your trust can mediate things between you and your mom to possibly convince her to let you stay with your dad.

We truly want to be a support for you as you decide on your next steps. We are available 24/7 to listen and help as much as possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out again by phone or chat if you would like to talk more in-depth about your situation and explore your options. You can contact us by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or use our live chat services at www.1800runaway.org.

We wish you the best,
NRS

So I don't know if this thing even works still but Its worth a try I guess.

So Im 15 and I've been thinking about running away ever since I was about 13. I haven't really liked my family especially because of my mom's husband. So the other day I got into another argument with my mom's husband and he gave me the option to pack my bags and leave and now they are trying to report me as a runaway. Ive been living with my dad for the last couple days and they keep texting me how they are going to report me as a runaway and I'm going to go to the juvenile detention place, are they even allowed to report me as a runaway if my mom's husband was the one that gave me the option to pack my stuff and leave?

[ccsmod4]

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. You do not deserve to be hurt verbally or physically. It’s not your fault that they are doing this.

If you’re feeling unsafe and need a safe place to go and talk to someone, you may wish 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. So that is always an option if you feel like talking to someone in person about what has been going on or if you just need of a safe place to stay.

You also may use your phone to text the word “safe” and your current location (city/state/zip) to 69866. If there are safe places and shelters nearby, a list of those will be sent to your phone and you may have the option to text back and forth with a trained counselor as well.

You may also be able to report any mistreatment to CPS. Child Help USA 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org is an organization that helps protect minors from being harmed. It may also be a good place to explore options for staying with another family member or someone you trust as far as transferring custody.
NRS is here to listen and here to help. If you would like to speak more about your situation or learn more about these options, please call or chat with us at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or www.1800runaway.org

Take care and be safe,
NRS

I'm 12 and I'm planning to run away with my girlfriend and my best friend. My parents keep calling me names, hitting me, and overall just being complete douches. They're homophobic and I'm a pansexual transguy, they're Christian and I'm agnostic, they're Republicans and I'm more on the democratic, etc. I'm going to do this in June or July.

[ccsmod4]

Hello,
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 about what’s going on. It sounds like you’re not happy with things in your life right now.
It sounds like the stress from the situation is making it very hard to figure out what to do.
We are sorry you are going through a tough emotional time. You deserve to be abused in any way by your family. It’s not your fault.
We understand how something like that would be upsetting and probably frustrating. As a result from this it sounds like you have been thinking about running away.

Sometimes when things are too stressful it might help to talk with someone you feel will be supportive. It seems like you feel good about your grandparents. It sounds like you would like to stay with them. Perhaps you might consider talking with them about convincing your mother to let you stay with them for a little while.

NRS is here to listen and here to help.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. This may be an isolating and lonely time for you, but you are not alone in this.
We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.
If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
You are welcome to discuss your situation and talk about possible options for help.
What you did today by reaching out was great. Good job.

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

Take care,
NRS

I’m 15, and female

I don’t want to be with my mother and her boyfriend because I don’t fit in, and I can’t take it anymore just all the drama, and just everything that’s going on with my life. I want to live with my grandparents but my mother won’t allow it, and I won’t go with my dad because he’s got problems, and he’s the same. So I want to runaway, and get out of this ********hole. I told her how I felt but she doesn’t give a ********, I even had mental breakdowns, and she try’s to calm me down but then she just give up, and just went to another room one time in the car she hit me, and i told her how I felt and everything but she just doesn’t care at all. All she cares about is her boyfriend. I just feel like she would be better off with me not in her life and the same goes for me. So if you can give me some tips, and advice on how to runaway. And maybe where to go.

[ccsmod9]

Thank you for contacting NRS we appreciate that you have reached out to us. We are sorry you are going through such a difficult situation. You do not deserve to be put through that. From what we can tell you are looking to get out of the situation you are in. Just so you are aware legally you can leave at 18 otherwise your parents have the right to file a runaway report and call the Police. They would be on the lookout for you. Anyone that houses you runs the risk of being charged with harboring a minor. It would be a good idea to call the police non emergency number to ask what they would do if you did The options available to you are you could give us a call and we would be happy to report the abuse to CPS alongside you. That way it doesn’t seem so scary. Another thing you can do is to call Child Help which is another organization that specializes in reporting and helping abused youth. Their number is (800) 422-4453 and you can feel free to call them and get the help you need. We know how hard it can be to reach out for help, so again thank you for contacting us! If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chatting with us at 1800runaway.org. We are here to support and help you create a safe plan. We wish you the best of luck!