We are very
concerned for the welfare and safety of our boys & girls who have runaway.
We care about these children just as much as we care about a child who has been
abducted by a stranger.
When a
stranger abducts a child, the media follow the story closely because they know
the child is in very grave danger.
It’s
important to know that less than 1% of all missing children have been abducted
by strangers. In fact, the NISMART-2
study indicated that each year in the United States 115 children were victims
of a stranger kidnapping. We want you to know that 90% of these children who
were abducted by strangers are located and returned home safely.
By far, the
most prevalent type of reported missing children in the United States are runaway/thrownaway
children. According to the National
Runaway Safeline (Formerly the National Runaway Switchboard,) between 1.6-2.8
million youth runaway each year in the United States. Children can begin running as young as ages
10-14. The youngest are the most at-risk for the dangers of street life.
Unfortunately,
all too often runaway youth are often considered a family problem, rather than
a child welfare and societal concern—in spite of the astronomical numbers of
children who runaway.
PKF
Caseworkers have heard runaway youth referred to as “unruly kids who choose not
to follow rules,” or as “troublemakers,” “voluntarily missing,” or “just a
runaway.”
Today we
are sharing with you the truth: runaways are children in danger. They need to
be searched for immediately and helped.
There is a
very strong Runaway Myth that goes like this:
“Children
who runaway make their own decisions to go. Let them be, they’ve made their own
choice and must deal with the consequences. If they want to come home they
will.”
We want you
to know the Runaway Myth makes several false assumptions. Let’s take a look at
these assumptions and how they can impact our vulnerable, at-risk runaway
children.
False
Assumption #1: Teenagers are rational decision-makers, they make decisions and
plan their actions with care.
We are the
first to admit that there are teens who make considered decisions. But, we all
know that the teen years are a time of life when kids are learning emotion and
decision management.
The
National Runaway Safeline tells us that more than 70 percent of teen runaways
interviewed “described their leaving home as occurring on the spur of the
moment.” Many kids didn’t even pack a bag, make sure they had money for food
and shelter, or figure out where they were going to spend the night.
While most
children who runaway return home safe within a week, the life changing hazards
of living on the streets are very high for those who cannot return home because
they have no home to go to, or they have become victims of prostitution or drug
selling.
False
Assumption #2: All homeless children have a home to return to.
Nearly half
of the homeless kids surveyed by the National Runaway Safeline described
situations where they were thrown out of their homes by their families or
caregivers. These children literally have no place to go. They are called
thrownaway children.
Additionally,
a good number of runaways come from abusive homes where it was dangerous for
them to live.
If homeless
boys & girls do not find a reputable shelter, they may panhandle and sleep
in parks or abandoned buildings. Survival requires more money than panhandling
can provide. Many young people find themselves selling drugs or sex, not by
choice, but through necessity.
It is
estimated that many young people, especially girls, begin engaging in survival
sex within 48 hours of leaving home. Sex for food and a place to stay can
quickly escalate into formalized prostitution. This is why parents need to
contact their local police the moment they realize their child has runaway.
After contacting the police, please be sure to call the Polly Klaas Foundation
for help in finding your child.
False
Assumption #3: Runaway/thrownaway
children are capable of: 1) getting themselves out of whatever they were doing
to survive and 2) returning home safely on their own.
It is true
that some of the more independently minded runaway/thrownaway young people are
capable of caring for themselves for years. Many could return home if they
chose.
But, there
are those children who have begun surviving by exchanging sex for food &
shelter or started selling drugs, these children will quickly find themselves
in a web of forced labor making money for pimps and pushers. For them there is
no easy way home.
According
to the National Runaway Safeline, children runaway because:
47% of
runaway youth report conflict between them and a parent/guardian in the home.
Over 50% of
youth in shelters or on the streets reported that their parents told them to
leave or knew they were leaving but did not care
80% of
runaway & homeless girls reported having been sexually or physically
abused.
34% of
runaway youth (girls and boys) reported sexual abuse before leaving home.
43% of
runaway youth (girls and boys) reported physical abuse before leaving home.
Are runaway
children at risk?
Over 70% of
runaway youth have been considered to be endangered.
7% of youth
in runaway & homeless youth shelters and 14% of youth on the street had
traded sex for money, food, shelter, or drugs.
32% of
runaway & homeless youth have attempted suicide at some point in their
lives.
We hope
we’ve provided you with a clearer yet desperate picture of runaway youth. These
children often feel that running away and/or life on the street is their only
choice due to their experiences of abuse, conflict or neglect at home.
As you can
see, runaways/thrownaways are children on the streets with no responsible
caretaker. They often do not have a home to go back to. They are more likely to
be victims of abduction, physical & sexual abuse, and sex trafficking.
All too
often, our PKF Caseworkers see the very real dangers & tragedy that runaway
youth endure. We understand each runaway child’s significant experiences &
problems, as well as the problems & experiences of their parents and
siblings. We work with them on a daily basis. Once a child returns home, PKF
often provides professional counseling referrals for the child and the family
so they can become healthy family unit.
One of
PKF’s core values is that “we cherish children and protect them every way we
can.” We want you to know that most of the missing children reported to the
Polly Klaas Foundation are endangered runaways. We care about these children
and we want you to care as well.
Cindy
Rudometkin, the Polly Klaas Foundation’s Response Department Director, says
that “no child is prepared for life on the streets. When a parent calls
reporting that their child has runaway, we swing into action. We know the
dangers of street life. The sooner we can help bring that child home, the
better. They need to be immediately searched for and helped.
”
Info Obtained From: http://www.pollyklaas.org/enews-archive/2013-enews/article-web-pages/the-truth-about-runaways.html
February,
2013
