If you do not feel safe where you are, you might feel like running away is an option. Running away and living on the streets is very dangerous. You may end up in a much worse situation and be less safe. You could be cold, hungry and people might try to hurt you or make you do something you don’t want to do.

The first thing you could do is speak to someone you trust. This could be another family member, a teacher, a care worker, a social worker or one of the Runaway Helpline team. There might be another option you hadn’t thought of, like staying with another family member until things settle down.

It might turn out that leaving is the right thing to do, but you need to do it safely. Speaking to someone you trust could be the first step in making that happen.