I want to help my partner run away

[Guest]

My (16) partner (15) is in a really abusive situation. They've self-harmed before and their mom just generally makes them miserable. I want to help them run away. They live in Georgia, and I live in Alabama.

I'm wondering if it's illegal to help them run away, if it's illegal to house them, and what could their mom do to us legally if my family does harbor them? Their mom is currently unaware of my new address as far as I'm aware.

[ccsmod3]

Hi thank you for reaching out. It sounds like your partner is in an abusive household and you are trying to find a way to help them get out and somewhere safer. If your family houses your partner, you could be at risk for being charged with what’s called harboring a runaway, though the penalty for that can vary. Since it sounds like you would be helping them cross state lines, it is possible for it to be considered kidnapping if you are helping in the process of getting them across. That is helpful that their mom does not know exactly where you live and might mean less chances of finding your partner with you, though we cannot give a definitive answer to how this all might play out, but we can do our best to help and guide you to more answers. If you would like to talk more about this, please either call our hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat us online at 1800runaway.org. We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS