I'm 16 and I want to get the hell outta here!

[Guest]

I've been having family isues between me and my father. Things have been pretty damn rough, and now my mother wants to divorce him. We went through a similar situation not too long ago, in which the police got involved due to me and my father fighting eachother. My father requested therapy and my mother agreed to it; but he's not going to change, period. The old man has been doing this type of crap to me since I was little, constant fighting and verbal abuse. My mother is tired of it, and wants to divorce him and actually just went out to speak to a lawyer. I'm screwed, I don't know what to do but I do, all I know is that I want to runaway. I've been planning to do so since I was little. Of course, unlike half of the morons that runaway, I'll do so intelligently. I've already decided it's something I want to do, but I think i'm going insane. I'm willing to go as far as to manipulate my mother if I have to; in order to escape this cycle. Now, I have a set destination i'd like to go to, but I feel if I go there, I'll get them in trouble. And I'd like to avoid that at all costs, nobody should get in trouble over my problems. The issue is whether they'll be accounted as harboring a runaway or not. Is there anyway to avoid that? Is it possible for me to call my mother when I get to said destination to avoid legal troubles with the person I want to stay with?

[ccsmod15]

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 forum 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