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I am 17 and ran away from an abusive house hold and am staying at a friends house that my mom and dad don’t know about but they think my staying with my boyfriend and the police r harassing my bfs parents and him but they don’t know where I’m at. Can they continue to search his house and idk of a safe place to stay I have been gone for 2 weeks.
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Hi there, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you ran away from an abusive household and have been staying at a friend’s where you feel safer. While we don’t have a direct answer as to how long police will look for you because it can vary by department and what resources they are willing to put into finding you. One option since you left an abusive situation, is to make a report with Child Protective Services and they would do an investigation into the situation. The main goal should always be your safety, so we are glad you are able to stay with a friend and are out of the abusive household. If you would like to discuss this further, please 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
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Im gonna run away but where
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Hi,
Thanks for reaching out; we are glad that you did.
We hope that you will reach out to our live services so that we can discuss your situation and try to find ways to address it. We work best when we can have a conversation with you.
You can chat us through this website or call the hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY
We hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS
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my family makes me feel suicidal and just makes me feel unwanted and useless and i finally told them how they make me feel a little i didn't tell them everything i felt but I was wondering if i ran away at 16 and started over will everything be okay i might ask my friend if i could stay one night then i could be farther away from home cause i don't feel happy at home their is really only one person that makes me feel safe and happy and that's my girlfriend but i can only text her and my aunt has my phone and now i haven't been happy cause i cant text her and my family hates me even more so i'm running away from home just to find her and be happy without my familyComment
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Hello, thank you for reaching out to us. Sorry to hear that your family makes you feel unwanted and useless. It’s understandable that you are not happy in that environment and want to leave. If you are feeling suicidal, please reach out to the Suicide Hotline at 988. Your life is valuable and worth living. While you may be feeling depressed or hopeless now, you may not always feel that way and things can get better. It’s great that you have a girl friend that makes you feel safe and happy, but it may not be realistic for you to runaway to live with her family. Since you are still a minor, if you runaway, your parents can file a runaway report and the police will bring you back home if they find you. There’s a lot to consider when thinking about running away. Please call us at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us through this website and we can help you think through the best path forward. We work better when we can have a conversation with you and better understand your situation. We truly hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS
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If I were to run away to a different state/country would the police still look for me.Comment
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Hey there,
Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are glad that you are reaching out for help. It sounds like you are going through an extremely difficult time right now with life at home and are considering your options, including running away out of state and/or out of the country. We are sorry that you are in this situation and are here to help support you during this time.
You ask a very good question; however, we are not legal experts here at NRS. As a general trend, if you do decide to run away, your parents/guardian have the ability to file a runaway report to their local police department. Law enforcement will collect basic information about you that will go into a national database where they can then return you home in the event you are found.
In any case, since we not legal experts, we recommend you reach out to the National Center for Youth Law Agency at (510) 835-8098 or www.youthlaw.org/ to receive more definitive legal advice when it comes to achieving emancipation before a state’s designated age minimum. Another resource to try is the Youth Law Center at (800) 728-1172 or www.youthlawcenter.org . You can also call your local police department to ask what would happen in a situation if you were to runaway out of state, as well.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We are happy to call out to these agencies with you would like. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon. Our contact information. 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
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I want to run away but I don't want the police to look for me what can I do so they won'tComment
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Hi there,
Leaving home can be a really big decision and it's important to make sure that if you leave home you have a safe place to go. We cannot give legal advice, as we are not legal experts; however, we can give let you know that in most states the age of majority is 18 (this does differ for some states). This means, if you are under the age of 18 and you leave home without their permission, your parents/legal guardians can contact the police and file a runaway report. Once a runaway report is filed, typically the police will attempt to locate you and bring you back to your parents. If you do not feel safe in your home, you can contact the police directly. If you have any other questions please feel free to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or use the chat function on our website (www.1800runaway.org) so we can answer your questions in real time; we are available 24/7.
Best of luck and stay safe!
NRS Crisis Team
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Confused
Not sure if I'm doing this right but, here is my question. I'm about 12-14 (Not stating for personal reasons) and my home life is fine, no abuse or such but I feel very confused with my life currently and want to get out of the house. I feel almost trapped and just want to go outside and get away from society for a little bit to be able to really think about everything. My emotions feel bottled up and sometimes I end up SH when I get upset or frustrated, I'm worried I struggle with mental illness but I'm afraid to talk to my parent about this because A-I don't want to embarrass myself if I'm wrong, B- I don't want to be viewed differently, and C-Is that if I'm diagnosed and taken to therapy (Which would help) or sent to a Psychiatric Hospital will it mess up my record and make it harder for me to get into colleges or jobs? Finally, If I left the house would police look for me considering I could be a threat to myself?
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(If you are in danger for any reason, please call the police or go to your local emergency room.)
First of all, we want you to know that your feelings and concerns are completely valid. It's okay to feel confused and overwhelmed, especially when everything seems too much to handle. You're not alone in this, and many people have gone through similar experiences. Reaching out for help can be daunting, especially when you're worried about how others might perceive you. Seeking support is a sign of strength and courage. You're not embarrassing yourself by acknowledging your feelings; you're taking control of your well-being. Here at the NRS, we take mental very seriously if you ever feel like you are going to harm yourself please feel free to reach out to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) or call 988 for help.
Concerns about mental health and seeking therapy are completely natural. It's important to prioritize your mental and emotional well-being, just as you would your physical health. It is completely understandable that when the emotions become overwhelming you may want time for yourself to deal with them. This could look think going for a walk, doing a task that you enjoy, or just simply listening to music or watching your favorite show. As you become more comfortable communicating you can let someone know you’re taking some time for yourself so they’re aware of your safety.
As for the fear of impacting your future, addressing mental health concerns and receiving therapy are unlikely to hinder your chances of getting into colleges or landing jobs. Remember, your feelings matter, and you deserve the support to navigate through them.
Take care and reach out when you're ready.
Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24-hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), or through our Live Chat.
-National Runaway Safeline
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Things are really bad right now and I just need to get away and thing if I run away and stay with a friend that's my age
Will I get arrested and what would happenComment
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(If you are in danger for any reason, please call the police or go to your local emergency room.)
Hi there,
Thanks so much for reaching out to us. We are so sorry to hear that things are bad right now. While we don't know exactly what's going on, we're here to listen and to help as much as we can.
If you're over 18, generally you have the right to leave home and stay wherever you'd like without fear of police involvement.
If you're under 18, things generally look a little different. If you go stay with a friend without your parents' permission, they could choose to file a runaway report with the police which means they'll find you and bring you home. You won't get in trouble with the police or arrested and running away isn't illegal, however you'll have to face any consequences your parents might have. Additionally anyone in your friend's house over age 18 COULD be charged with harboring a runaway which is a criminal charge. This is uncommon and varies by state and situation, so it's worth it to check on this with your local non-emergency police. If you call the police within 24 hours of your arrival at your friend's house to let them know you're safe, this can help avoid charges.
We would love to share more information and help you make the plan that's right for you. We would be grateful to hear more about your story and give you more personalized guidance. The NRS is available 24/7 via online chat or by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We hope to hear from you soon, best of luck!
-NRS Crisis Team
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will they inform out of state police about my runaway?
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Hi thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are planning on running away out of state and are wondering if police in other states would be looking for you. That is always a possibility, it could depend on if you get involved with the police, they may be able to tell that you are a runaway. It is also possible if you are suspected to have left the state, police might spread the word to surrounding areas. When planning to run away, it is important to make sure that you have a safe place to stay and a way to take care of yourself. 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
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