Causes of Teenage Runaways

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Rebekah Kaneakua Professor Collins English 101 February 12, 2015 Is it Worth The Run When there are multiple conflicts happening in the home, running away seems like the most convenient for teens. It’s an easy, simple path out from all their misery and stress, but it might not always be the best idea in the long run. Studies show that one in seven adolescents will run away throughout their lifetime and approximately 1 to 3 million runaways are currently living homeless and on the streets (“Running Away”). There are multiple reasons why adolescents choose to run away. The main reasons teens leave their homes are due to physical or sexual abuse, drugs and alcohol, conflict between the family, and peer pressure (Hatter). When there is physical or sexual abuse within a family, teens find it helpful to leave when they feel like their safety is in danger. Also, a teen can develop feelings of rage, fear, or failure from the abuse, and running away seems like the best option to them. There are more cases of homeless teens that leave from physical abuse than sexual, but they play hand in hand in existing with one another. When physical abuse is present, sexual abuse isn’t far away, and more than not, the abuser is a member of the family, or a family friend. A study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that 46% of homeless teens left their homes due to physical abuse and 17% from sexual abuse (“11 Facts About Homeless Teens”). Studies have also found that drug and alcohol abuse is often linked. It proceeds into bad and vulgar behavior and the most impact is put upon teens in the household. Substances such as drugs and alcohol used within the household by a parent or child, increases a higher chance of a teen runaway. Further, about 75% of teens end up resorting to alcohol or drugs to help them cope with traumatic experiences in their past,

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