im 15 and wanting to run away

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you so much for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. We are sorry to hear about your parents death that can be extremely hard and we are here for you.
One option to consider is talking with a school counselor about what has been going on, sometimes talking with a professional can help you feel better. Also you can try and see if another family member could take you in or a friend. We are not legal experts but generally if you leave without permission your legal guardian can file a runaway report. If the police do find you they most likely would bring you home. Another option to try is doing hobbies you enjoy sometimes having a hobby that you can enjoy may make things better.
If you have any questions or would like to explore your options please give us a call. We are here to you 24/7. Best of luck, stay strong you are not alone.
NRS

N: I am a fifteen your old girl and both my parents have died i now live with my aunt but hate her i cant to anything right in her eyes CPS got involved now she blames me but its not my fault. I don"t want to live with her anymore. I am grounded all and I'm involve in a lot for school because education is important to me but I'm not allowed to do anything to do with school. What do I do?

[ccsmod4]

I'm 14, I live in Georgia

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. You don’t deserve to be abused in any way, please understand that it is not your fault that this is happening.
We do understand your fear for calling the police but the most important thing is your safety. If you feel at risk or in danger we encourage you to contact 9-1-1.
It is not illegal to run away from home it is a status offense. The most that would happen is that you would be returned home if picked up by the police.
You can also report abuse to Child Help at 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org
Once a report is filed an investigation will take place and you will have the opportunity to tell what a case manager about any abuse you have suffered.

You did a very brave thing by reaching out today. Good for you.

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).

Take care,
NRS

[ccsmod13]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out to NRS.

It sounds like home has been really stressful lately. You know yourself best and what you might or might not regret, so it is really unfair of your mom to treat you this way. Support should mean that she is willing to be there for you completely and be understanding of your needs.

In general, your mom does get to decide where you live until you turn 18. If you decide that you need to leave, she can report you as a runaway and have you returned home again. If you think that having a conversation with your mom will help her better understand your needs, perhaps having someone else involved to mediate could help. This could be another family member, a counselor, or someone from NRS. If you call our hotline (800-786-2929) we can help you have this conversation with your mom and make sure your voice is being heard.

Talking with other people who have had similar experiences as you can also provide some support for you while you navigate this situation with your mom. You can contact the Trevor Project (thetrevorproject.org) at 866-488-7386 or the LGBT National Hotline (glbthotline.org) at 888-843-4564.

You know your situation and your needs best. We are here 24/7 to be a support for you and help you come up with your next steps. If you would like to talk more in detail about your situation, do not hesitate to reach out anytime by phone or online chat services.

Take care,
NRS

[ccsmod13]

Hi, thanks for reaching out to NRS.

You have been through a lot and it sounds like you are doing your best to take care of yourself. You do not deserve to be abused or made to feel uncomfortable at all and it is not okay that those things happened. It was really brave of you to reach out and share a little bit about what has been going on.

It can be difficult to leave home before you turn 18. In general, your parents or legal guardians can decide where you live while you are still considered a minor. This means that if you do leave without permission, they can report you as a runaway. Running away is not illegal and you would not be arrested. It just means that if the police know where you are they might return you home.

Your safety is very important to us and from what you mentioned home is not safe. You do have the option of making a child abuse report and getting a social worker involved to help you. They want to make sure that you have somewhere safe to live. Making a report can be a scary decision and you do not have to do it alone. You can contact the national child abuse hotline (800-422-4453 ; childhelphotline.org) for more support and information regarding this.

If you feel like you need to leave immediately, an organization called National Safe Place can help connect you with a safe place to stay. You can either go to www.nationalsafeplace.org or text "safe" and your current location to 44357 for safe places in your area.

We want to be a support for you while you figure out your next steps and explore your options. Please reach out anytime (800-786-2929 ; 1800runaway.org) if you would like to talk more about your situation and explore your options.

Be safe,
NRS

I'm and I am trying to run away from home its been really hard here I been molested and abused and I can't handle the pain so I wanna know is their any ways I can run away to North Carolina Charlotte fast and easy without getting caught I can handle myself I'm smart so help pls

I'm 14, I live in Georgia and my parents have been abusive to me for a long time. I currently live with my grandfather but my mom has legal rights to me. When I lived with my mom I got shut in my room for hours at a time, the rules were incredibly strict and I never got any privacy, I wasn't allowed to do normal things with my friends. I moved in with my grandfather later but I got outed as LGBT and he became verbally and emotionally abusive to me. After that I moved in to live with my Grandmother but I got no privacy at all and I had to sleep in the kitchen. I moved back in with my grandfather but he is still abusive and he doesn't allow me to go to therapy or talk to a psychiatrist so I can go on proper medication for my mental disorders since he doesn't belive mental disorders are real.
My dad lived with us for a little while and he comes in and out of my life. He has threatened to kill me and my family members before. I don't feel safe here.
I want to get away but I'm not sure how. Running away is illegal in my state and I can get taken back home where the abuse would get worse. I have tried telling counsellors, teachers, doctors and other family about what's happening but they never seem to believe me. Once my friend called CPS to my house, I was taken to a hospital and I tried to explain but my mom showed up and denied everything I said. The doctors didn't take me seriously and would've just sent me back home.
I'm also living with a disability that makes me almost completely non-verbal/mute (My ability to speak is limited)
What can I do to get away? If I get to a state where the runaway laws aren't as strict, will I be safe? What do I do if I feel like I can't stay at home any longer/if home feels like a safety hazard? What do I do if I get caught and arrested while trying to run away?
Thanks for the help.

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear it sounds like you’re having a lot of difficulties between you and your mother. Because your mom is your guardian, if she gave you permission you would be allowed to live with a friend. However, she can take it back whenever she feels like it, too. If you want to talk more about your situation or what other options there may be, please don’t hesitate to call us on our 24/7 hotline at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

i'm 15 and will be 16 in about 3 months. I don't want to live with my family anymore. I'm Transgender and Pansexual and my mom says she will support me but she won't even let me be myself because she claims I might regret it. She kicked me out before and I tried to go to a friend's house but she made me come back. What should I do?

I'm 15 and i'm going to turn 16 in about 3 months. Me and mom don't get along that well. If my mom gave me permission to leave the house would I be able to live with a friend? I'm worried she'll make me come back like she did last time.

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage. 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.

Be safe,
NRS

im 15 and im ADHD my family ruined my life they drugged me with tara medication and left me along when i was 3 or 4 my grandpa hit me with big walking sticks and he broke a broom on my back i went to my girlfriend and i cryed on her l lap my hole family hates me pleas help me i don't want to live with them i would rather comit suicide

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage. It must be really hard to live in a home with so much tension. Running away is a big decision and it can be very stressful to figure out what you want to do.

We aren’t legal experts here at NRS, but generally speaking, if you do opt to leave your home your mom can file a runaway report, which is essentially a missing person report. Running away is a status offense; this means that it isn’t illegal, but it’s something you can’t do while still a minor. If a runaway report is filed and you are located by the authorities you will most likely be returned home. While it's so great to hear that your boyfriend is so supportive, if you go to his house without prior permission from your mom, the adult in the home could be charged with harboring a runaway, which is a misdemeanor. Penalties for harboring a runaway vary from state to state, police officer to officer, and how your mom views the situation.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

Stay safe,
NRS

I’m a 15 year old girl that wants to run away from my parents and family to live with my boyfriend and his family. He’s been supportive to me for 3 years after everything that I’m going thru with my mom and her boyfriend. I can’t stand it no more. I wanna know if I would be able to go without her trying to get me back and make my life more miserable I love my boyfriend and wanna stay with him instead. My family isn’t supportive about that I wanna leave now. For several years I’ve had issues with my mom ever since she took me from my biological dad and now I can’t ever see him as much. Would it be a good idea to leave without any answer??

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you may be going through an incredibly difficult time.
It sounds like you’re fearing that the situation may end in suicide if things don’t change. Your safety and well-being is important. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255); www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org is also a great resource to reach out to in addition to our crisis services.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. 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.
Also we are not legal experts but do have general information on the laws. If you were to leave home without permission your parents could file a runaway report. If the police did find you they most likely would bring you back home.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS