November of every year is designated National Runaway Prevention Month
Portrait of a Runaway - Demographics 
“Runaway Youth” -- for some people the words mean rebellious teen or out-of-control youth. But a youth can be a runaway for many reasons, including running from an abusive home situation. The issues of runaway youth are far more complex than most people imagine. Never before have so many serious issues plagued children at such young ages. Young callers to the National Runaway Switchboard often express frustration, rage, or an inappropriate apathy as their response to events that are happening to them and those they love. These are overwhelming times for youth who too often feel they have no other alternative but to run away from home.
There is no “typical” runaway. Sixty-eight percent of runaways are between the ages of 15 and 17. However, four percent of runaway youth reported being between the ages of 7 and 11. Statistics indicate an equal representation of boys and girls (50/50).
Runaway youth come from every kind of neighborhood, rich or poor, suburban, rural or urban. However, they tend to come disproportionately from households where a parent was living with someone who was not the child’s other parent. When it comes to race and ethnicity, youth do not come disproportionately from any of the major racial or ethnic groups.
It is important to understand that runaways are not “bad” kids. They are not running to something, but away from something. They believe their home situations are so awful that living anywhere else is better; even if it means living on the streets. It is generally recognized that youth who leave home prematurely often do so as a result of intense family conflict or even physical, sexual, or psychological abuse. In many instances, they leave home to protect themselves. Their home situation usually involves an array of problems as opposed to one isolated incident.
Problems faced by youth do not occur in isolation. Lack of communication, stability or support from families, schools and/or peers can magnify even the smallest problems resulting in depression or suicidal thoughts. Often, the only option a youth in crisis sees is his or her ability to escape or run away.
Survival
Many runaways leave home more than once. The first time they run, they typically stay with friends or relatives. Approximately seventy-one percent of their parents/legal guardians did not know their whereabouts. As the length of time away from home increases, these youth often flee to urban areas where they can “blend in” with other kids and are therefore less likely to be noticed by authority figures. They tend to hang out at fast food restaurants, shopping malls and video arcades. They live in abandoned buildings or underneath highway bridges. In warmer climates, they may spend their days and nights on the beach.
As bad as things may have been at home, runaways soon find life on the street even worse. Most leave home without understanding the daily problems they will encounter once they have run away; they only seek to escape the problems in their current situation. Life on the streets is not a Tom Sawyer/river boat adventure as runaways find out all too soon.
The most critical problem runaway youth face is getting money for food and shelter. The longer a runaway is on the streets the greater the struggle for survival. Youth under the age of 16 have difficulty finding and keeping jobs. They may start by panhandling for change, but eventually, a runaway will most likely turn to illegal means to survive: many will become involved in prostitution, pornography, drugs, stealing, and other crimes.
Risks
An estimated seventy-one percent could have been endangered as a result of substance dependency, use of hard drugs, sexual or physical abuse, being present in a place where criminal activity was occurring, or because the youth was extremely young-- less than 13 years old. Alarming numbers of youth are in the company of violent, sexually exploiting, or drug-abusing companions or suffer an actual or attempted assault while away from home. Unfortunately, returning these youth to their home may increase rather than alleviate their danger.
Runaway youth impact an entire community.
You can change the life of a teenager.
Credits: Armenianteens.com, National Runaway Switchboard
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