Runaway youth
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A runaway is a minor who has left the home of his or her parent or legal guardian without permission or has been thrown out by his or her parent.
Runaway children in North America
In North America, runaway children or youth are a chronic and serious social problem. It is estimated that each year there are between 1.3 and 1.5 million runaway and homeless youth in the United States (Coco & Courtney, 1998; Cauce et al., 1994).Current studies suggest that the primary cause of youth homelessness is family dysfunction in the form of parental neglect, physical or sexual abuse, family substance abuse, and family violence (Smollar, 1999; Robertson & Toro, 1998). Family conflict can also be caused by sudden and or drastic changes in the family composition (i.e. a divorce, re-marriage, death of a parent), parental substance abuse, youth's substance abuse, and youth's sexual activity.
A related term used for runaways is "throw-a-way youth". Normally a throw-a-way youth or child is someone who has been "locked out" or forced to leave home by its parents or caregivers. However, the distinction between runaways and throw-a-ways is not clear as in many cases it depends on who provides the information. When the parents are asked they say the youth ran away, while the youth would say he or she was forced to leave, either directly or by circumstances. In most cases, youth run away because the situation at home is unbearable and not because they are looking for excitement or fun.
"The first time I ran away, I was 2 years old. My mother always spoke of this as an amusing story. She said that I gave a false name to some elderly people. And while I never found this story amusing, I was always intrigued as to why I or any 2 year old child would run away. It was only after a very disturbing reoccurring dream that I uncovered the answer. When I was 18 months old my mother tried to suffocate me with a pillow. And while my young mind couldn't wrap itself around the severity of her act, my instincts to survive kicked in. Only then did it make sense that I had given a false name. That also laid the foundation for my relationship with my mother, or the non-existence of it, because I never felt 'safe' when I was alone in her company." - The Firstborn Daughter of Donna Rae Heller Zimmer Joseph
Runaway children in the United Kingdom
This problem also exists in the United Kingdom with runaway youths congregating in London.See also
- Hollywood, California
- Los Angeles, California
- Santa Monica, California
- Montrose, Houston
- New York City
- Street child
External links
- [National Runaway Switchboard] for young people in North America
- [The Runaway Helpline] for young people in the United Kingdom
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