As a hurting parent whose daughter was considered a 'runaway' and overlooked by the police, I implore our government and legal institutions to modify the current laws and language used. There is a profound difference between seeing a child as 'missing' or a 'runaway', it heavily influences how cases are handled.

 Context matters: When you think of the word “runaway,” what images come up?

And, when you think of the words “missing child,” or "endangered" what do you picture?

All of these terms can refer to the same youth. However, based on our assumptions or the narratives we hold, we either visualize a child victim in need of assistance or label them as a bad kid who chose their circumstances.

Nearly 2.3 million youths run away each year in the United States alone (National Runaway Safeline). However, the use of the term 'runaway' should not devalue the severity of the situation or the necessity of rapid response. Runaways are at a higher risk of being trafficked (U.S. Department of State, 2019).  The first 48 hours are critical when any child has gone missing. If they are instead seen as 'runaways', essential time and resources often are not allocated to finding them.

So, I propose a legislation change that refers to all children who vanish from their homes as 'missing'—not runaways. Legislation revision will push law enforcement to act immediately, rather than withhold their efforts under the assumption that the child will return on their own.

We want to be clear that runaways are still missing children. The label of “just a runaway” is dangerous, and the assumptions that come with it can be life-threatening. Every missing child deserves to be searched for, fought for, and brought home. No one should assume that a child is safe simply because they left with a backpack and a bicycle.

This issue brief from the National Clearinghouse on Homeless Youth and Families discusses the overlap between youth homelessness and runaway incidents with human trafficking. Youth who run away are at considerable risk of homelessness and victimization, including through sex and labor trafficking. The Polaris Project, one of the largest organizations serving trafficking victims, includes RHY (Runaway and Homeless Youth)among those at high-risk , with “a higher susceptibility to victimization and human trafficking.” Researchers are finding that running away significantly increases young people’s risk of commercial sexual exploitation as well as labor trafficking. 

As a community, we have a duty to care for all of our children as if they were our own. We must fight against the indifference that too often surrounds runaway cases. 

It is time that we have a cultural shift in regards to runaways. Instead of approaching the report of a voluntary missing young person as a delinquency matter, let’s teach recruits and veterans alike to approach these cases from the standpoint of protecting the child. The actions taken by first responders and call takers are the most important factors in protecting the missing child regardless of how they went missing.

Join me in calling for this change in terminology and in the way our authorities approach these terrifying situations. Sign this petition to revamp laws and ensure that all children who go missing are given equal priority and urgency.