Moving out at 17

[Guest]

I am 17 yrs old, I’ll be 18 June 1st. However I would like to move out right now. My mom is not physically abusive, but she is verbally which takes a large toll on my mental/emotional health. I have a place to stay, it’s a good and healthy environment but there’s no way my mom would allow me to leave and I really don’t want to wait until I’m 18.

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to write us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing a bit about your situation. It sounds like there is a lot you are faced with at home and you are considering leaving as one of your options. You by no means deserve any type of abuse, emotional or otherwise. Home is supposed to be somewhere safe and you deserve to be supported.

You mentioned that you have a safe place to go and you are considering leaving before you turn 18. While we are not legal experts, we can speak generally on what could happen if you left home. Your mom has the option to report you as a runaway to the police. Running away is not illegal but it is a status offense. This means your mom can ask police to return you home if she knows where you are staying. Ultimately, you know what decision will be best and we want you to feel safe where you are living. The risks involved in a runaway report would be important to keep in mind when thinking through your next steps.

Please do not hesitate to reach out again by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat if you would like to talk more about your situation. We are here 24/7 to listen and help as much as possible.

Stay strong and be safe,
NRS