TEEN QUESTION/PROBLEM:
Hi i live in Illinois and i have been beat by my father and not treated well by the rest of my family. I want to leave my house and stay with my friend and her family and they would love to have me at their house. Is it legal for me to leave my parents home at the age of 17 without their permission and is there legal action they can take to bring me back even after i am 18?

TEEN LINE WROTE:
Thanks for e-mailing TEEN LINE. That is awful that your father abuses you. It sounds like your going through a really tough time. It is good that you have this friends house where you can stay, and it's a good idea if your father is about to hurt you for you to go to this safe house. What your father is doing to you is wrong. To take action, you can call the Department of Child and Family Services at 800-422-4453. They can come help you find a safer place to live. You can also call us(or chat) any night from 6 to 10 Pacific Standard Time at 1-310-855-4673 to talk to about your feelings and situation or even help you file a report. Once you turn 18, you are a legal adult, and your family cannot take any legal action to force you back into their house.

a TEEN LINE teen