Runaway Testimonial

(Posted by Eva, '12)
In my time spent at the National Runaway Switchboard, there are some calls that I will never forget. This is one of them. (Note: This is based on fact, but I put it into my own words. Also, because calls are anonymous and confidential, no identifying information has been added.)

I have nowhere to go, no one to turn to. I’m a 16-year-old guy who has run away from his home. My home doesn’t even seem like home to me. We just moved here, to this small town because my mom wanted us to get a house out of the city. But all of my friends are back in the city. I haven’t been able to make any new ones here. I really haven’t had much time at all. My mom works nights and sleeps during the day so it is up to me to take care of my 6 year old brother and 7 year old sister. I get them up in the morning, I make them breakfast, lunch and dinner, I help them with their homework, I put them to bed. I spend so much time taking care of them that I barely have any time for myself. My grades at school have been slipping because of that. My mom isn’t too happy about that. She actually grounded me so that I can’t talk to my friends back in Houston. I feel so alone. What makes it worse is that, being grounded, I can’t even call my boyfriend. I miss him so much. He’s helped me so much. I wasn’t doing to well back in the city. Twice I tried to kill myself, once by starving myself and once by trying to overdose. My mom knows about the starving, but she doesn’t know about the ODing. She doesn’t care anyways. I try to talk to her sometimes but she never listens. She’s always too busy and she’s never around. She could really care less about me. Except when she gets mad at me that is. She’s hit me before. One time she slammed me into the wall so many times that I started coughing up blood. That was the first time that I ran away, but I ended up going back home so that I wouldn’t miss school. I actually cough up blood fairly often. One doctor said that it might be stress related, but my mom refuses to take me to get tests done. My mom knows that I’m gay. When I came out she said that she was ok with it, but when she gets mad at me she says “I wish I didn’t have a son like you” and I know that is what she’s talking about.

But now I’ve run away for the second time. I ran because my mom was hitting me again. But I’m stuck in this stupid town with no way out. I have no one here who I feel comfortable talking to. No one. I tried calling some friends back in the city to see if they could come and get me but they didn’t pick up and I’m out of quarters now. I have no money, no where to go, no one to turn to. The only reason I would go back would be for my little brother and sister. Even though they are a lot of work I really love them and I know that they wouldn’t understand if I didn’t come back.

I guess I will go back, but I’m going to have money and clothes ready incase my mom starts to hit me again. That way I can try calling my friends again and get out of there.