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Speak Up! - View Question #120 |
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Question: My girlfriends dad beats her and she doesn't get along with her mom, Can she live with me and my family without her moms permission?
Answer: A sixteen year old can become emancipated if he or she can support herself or himself. The way that this can occur depends upon the state in which the minor resides. It takes more than being able to afford her own clothes to become emancipated. She must be able to feed, and cloth herself, provide transportation to work and school, pay taxes, provide medical insurance for herself, etc. To be emancipated means to do all the things that an adult does for herself.
If she is being abused, she should report it to the police, to a school counselor, to a minister, to a doctor, or to a local or state 'hot line'. This is true for metal as well as physical abuse. If you know of someone who is being abused, YOU should report it.
If she needs immediate help with an abuse issue, she should call one of the hotlines below:
-ArizonaChild Protective Services 888-SOS-CHILD or 888-767-2445
-Child Help USA Hotline 800-422-4453
-National Crisis/Suicide Hotline 800-999-9999
-National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233
-Teen Link (Various Topics) 800-235-9678
-Youth Crisis Hotline 800-448-4663
If there is immediate danger of physical harm, she should call 911 immediately! If she cannot, and you can, you should do so.
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