Why Teens Run Away

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According to the National Runaway Switchboard,

every day between 1.3 and 2.8 million runaway and homeless youth

live on the streets of America.

One out of every five children will run away before the age of 18.

Seventy-five percent of runaways who remain at large for two or more weeks will become involved in theft, drugs, or pornography, while one out of every three teens on the street will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home.  Gay or bisexual youth are even more likely to be involved in prostitution.

Among the findings of a study titled The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada and Mexico (pdf):

Other risks that runaways face are malnutrition, psychological disorders, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse, robbery, and sexual abuse and physical assault have all been found in high proportions among these young people.  Major depression, conduct disorder, and posttraumatic stress are also higher among runaway youth.

Why Teens Run Away

Teens leave home for a wide variety of reasons, including trouble in school, arguments with their family, problems that arise due to their sexual orientation, and the influence of predators.

Runaways may leave on impulse, protesting a family quarrel over a rule or an isolated incident.  But the main motivation for running away seems to be neglect or abuse at home.  They decide that their only chance to survive is to run away.

However, what many of these teens learn is that they are no safer on the streets.  From the mid-1970s to the present time, life on the streets has become more dangerous owing to increasing sexual exploitation and drug use.  The dangers they face are often more harrowing than anything they would face at home; yet when they weigh their options, many of these teens often choose to stick it out on their own — believing they have at least some control over their lives — rather than return to an environment where they know they will be abused.

Situational Runaways are the largest group of runaways, comprised of young people who leave home for a day or two after a disagreement with parents.  Although they may be seen in runaway shelters or spend a brief time on the street, they usually return home within a few days.  A small percentage may repeat this behavior and remain away for longer periods.  If so, they become a part of the chronic runaway group.

The suburban kid who runs to a friend's house the first time may turn into a chronic runaway who eventually finds her way to the heart of the nearby city, where other rootless kids hang out.

Runaways may leave for long periods of time, often progressing from repeat runaway to chronic runaway to street youth.  The latter do not return home at all, but live in transitory housing, such as friends' apartments, shelters, cheap hotels, abandoned buildings ("squats"), or underneath high bridges.  They tend to hang out at fast food restaurants, shopping malls and video arcades. These youth are usually totally on their own for their survival and are frequent victims of the violence and numerous dangers of the streets.

Throwaways are defined as youth who have left home because their parents have abandoned them, asked them to leave, or subjected them to extreme levels of abuse or neglect.  Many in this group may have spent time previously with relatives or had periods of residence in foster care.

NEXT:  When Your Teen Returns Home

More Information

America's Hidden Crime:  When the Kidnapper is Kin ~ This report takes a comprehensive look at the serious but rarely understood crime of family abduction — when a child is kidnapped by a member of his or her own family.

An Awkward Age ~ Runaway teens don’t belong in adult court, but they’re often too old for juvenile court.

The Criminal Justice System's Response to Parental Abduction (pdf) ~ Parental abduction can have a devastating impact on the child who is abducted and also the parent who is left behind.  Parental abduction is a crime in all 50 states and in the District of Columbia and, in most cases, constitutes a felony.

Impact of Family Child Abduction (pdf) ~ Families where abduction has occurred may have experienced pre-stressors.  Pre-stressors refer to the stress in these people's lives before their children were abducted.  Typical pre-stressors include domestic violence, separation, divorce, child abuse, neglect, loss of job or housing, and financial insecurities.