End the Use of the Word “Runaway” in Public Communications About Missing Children

Every Missing Child Deserves the Same Urgency

When a child goes missing, the public becomes one of the most powerful search tools available.

Every social media share, news story, and missing child flyer creates another opportunity for someone to recognize that child and help bring them home.

But for thousands of children each year, one word can immediately change how the public views their disappearance:

Runaway.

That single label often causes people to believe the child chose to leave, is probably safe, or will simply return home on their own. As a result, the urgency to share the child’s information or report possible sightings may be reduced.

Yet the reality is very different.

Children who leave home—regardless of the reason—face significantly increased risks of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, violence, substance abuse, homelessness, and victimization.

A child who is missing is still a child in danger.

What We Are Asking

We are not asking law enforcement to change criminal statutes, NCIC classifications, investigative procedures, or internal reporting systems.

Those systems serve investigative and legal purposes.

Instead, we are asking for a National Missing Child Public Communication Standard that applies only to communications intended for the public.

This standard would encourage law enforcement agencies, public information officers, emergency management agencies, and news organizations to discontinue using the word “runaway” in:

Social media posts
Missing child flyers
Press releases
Public alerts
Community bulletins
Television news reports
Newspaper and online headlines
Instead, children should simply be described as:

Missing Child
Missing Juvenile
Missing Youth
Missing/Endangered Youth
Endangered Missing Child (when appropriate)
The purpose of these communications is to encourage the public to recognize the child, share their information, and report tips—not to assign blame or describe legal classifications.

Why This Matters

Words shape perception.

Perception shapes public response.

Public response helps bring children home.

Research has consistently shown that children who leave home are among the most vulnerable youth in our communities. Many are fleeing abuse, family conflict, neglect, mental health crises, exploitation, or online grooming. Others are manipulated or coerced by traffickers before they are ever reported missing.

Regardless of why they disappeared, the danger they face is real.

The language we use should reflect that reality.

A Practical Solution

This proposal does not require changes to NCIC, NIBRS, state reporting systems, or existing law enforcement databases.

It simply changes how missing children are presented to the public when agencies are asking communities to help locate them.

This is a low-cost, practical reform that can be implemented through public information policies, agency communication guidelines, or legislation requiring standardized public terminology.

Why We Started This Petition

Our organization, Break the Label, was founded after our own 12-year-old daughter disappeared and was immediately labeled a “runaway.”

Four days later, she was found nearly 200 miles from home after being sexually assaulted and exploited by adults.

That experience changed our lives.

We learned firsthand how one word can influence perception, urgency, and public response.

Today, we are working to ensure that no missing child is dismissed because of a label.

Join Us

We are calling on Congress, state legislatures, governors, attorneys general, law enforcement agencies, and news organizations to adopt a national standard for public communications about missing children.

Children deserve to be seen as missing—not dismissed because of assumptions attached to a label.

One word can change how people respond.

One change can help save lives.

Please sign and share this petition. Every signature brings us one step closer to changing how America talks about missing children.