A runaway is a minor or (depending upon the local jurisdiction) a person under a specified age who has left their parents or legal guardians without permission.
Approximately fifty percent of runaways experience difficulties with schooling; including dropping out, expulsion, or suspension.
Trauma generally begins with runaway youth's experiences within the family and is increased by prolonged traumatic events.
Depression in male runaways is typically related to paternal alcohol use disorder and poor family relationships.
[8] In Hong Kong, 51.1 percent of at-risk youth identified by social workers have been a runaway during the age range of 11 to 18.
Much of the Indian runaway population describes themselves as young people doing everything right at home, but having received harsh treatment from family members all throughout life.
It is estimated that each year, there are between 1.3 and 1.5 million runaway and homeless youth in the United States[13][14] According to a 1983 training report on the United States Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs website, a large percentage of runaways in the US leave their home to escape sexual assault.