Running Away

Typically, teens run away to leave behind physical or emotional abuse, school problems, peer pressure, family conflicts, or drugs and alcohol.

Running away may sound like a good solution to your problems, but it creates a whole new set of issues.  In fact, runaways often have more serious problems.  Many become involved in criminal activities such as shoplifting, robbery, prostitution, pornography or drug pushing.  Runaways have to support themselves and crime gives the illusion of 'easy money.'  Also, runaways are at greater risk of contracting HIV and other STDs.  They are also at greater risk of suicide; they lose the support of family and friends when they take to the streets.

If you're thinking of running away, remember that there are many resources available in your community to help you deal with your problems.  Don't run away!  Go to someone that can help you. For example, you could contact your local Safe Place program.

If your town does not have a Safe Place program, contact the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS).  The NRS is a national toll-free hotline (1-800-RUNAWAY) serving runaways, homeless, and at risk youth and their families. 

If you are planning to run away, here are 10 questions you should ask yourself before you leave:

• What else can I do to improve my home situation before I leave?
• What would make me stay at home?
• How will I survive?
• Is running away safe?
• Who can I count on to help me?
• Am I being realistic?
• Have I given this enough thought?
• What are my other options?
• If I end up in trouble, who will I call?
• When I return home, what will happen?

Source: NRS

Check out these websites for more information about running away:

• National Runaway Switchboard
  (1-800-RUNAWAY)
• Covenant House
  Covenant House is a childcare agency that provides residential and non-residential services to homeless and runaway youth.

Reporter?s Sourcebook on Runaway and Homeless Youth (Source: National Runaway Switchboard)

• Between 1.7 and 2.8 million runaway and homeless youth live on the street each year.
• In one study, almost half of the youth interviewed said parent/guardian conflicts were a problem before they left home and landed in a runaway or homeless youth shelter.
• Nearly half of youth in runaway or homeless youth shelters have been kicked out of the home at least once.
• 37 percent of homeless youth and 23 percent of runaway youth do not attend school.
• 26 percent of those in shelters and 32 percent of those on the street had attempted suicide.
• Nearly half of youth on the street and a third of youth in shelters report having been pregnant in the past.
• A report by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention found 21 percent of runaway/throwaway kids had physical or sexual abuse in their history, or were afraid of suffering abuse if they went home.
• Staff at runaway and homeless shelters report that 63 percent of the runaways that they work with are depressed, 50 percent have problems at school, 20 percent have drug and alcohol abuse problems, 17 percent have been in the juvenile justice system.