National Youth Runaway Hotline Report: Family Dynamics, Abuse Top Reasons Youth Reach Out for Help

CHICAGO (February 6, 2007) – The National Runaway Switchboard (NRS), the federally-designated national communication system for homeless and runaway youth, has released its annual Call Volume Statistics Report.  The report outlines calls NRS front-line team members handled in 2006 through its free, anonymous and confidential 1-800-RUNAWAY national crisis hotline.

Overall, calls to the hotline increased 17 percent from the previous year.  Of crisis calls logged, the report reveals:

• Ninety-four percent were youth.

• More than half (56 percent) of the youth were already on the street as a runaway or throwaway.

• Nearly half (46 percent) called because of family dynamics (divorce, remarriage, problems with siblings) and abuse (substance, physical, sexual).

• Almost three quarters (74 percent) were between 13 and 17 years old.

• Seventy-six percent were female, 24 percent were male.

• More than half (57 percent) said they had been away from home between one and seven days before calling NRS (on the street, with a friend, at a youth shelter).

“Between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away in a year,” said Maureen Blaha, NRS executive director.  “Collecting this call data helps us track why kids call, why they run, and issues they are facing.  Plus, it helps us continue to provide impactful programs and services that keep youth safe and off the streets.”

From January through December 2006, NRS handled a total of 113,916 calls – 91,968 incoming and 21,948 outgoing calls, such as to a local shelter or social service agency on a youth’s behalf.  All calls were with runaway and at-risk youth, parents, relatives and friends of runaways, social service or youth agencies, and law enforcement officers.

The National Runaway Switchboard is recognized as the oldest hotline of its kind in the world.  With the support of more than 150 volunteers, NRS has handled more than 3 million calls in over 35 years and handles an average of 100,000 calls annually.  NRS provides crisis intervention, referrals to local resources, and education and prevention services to youth, families and community members throughout the country 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  The NRS crisis hotline is 1-800-RUNAWAY.  For more information, visit www.1800RUNAWAY.org.

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CONTACT:

Joel Kessel

National Runaway Switchboard

(773) 929-6805

jkessel@1800runaway.org