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Stories from the streets

Five young runaways - one only six when he first left home - reveal their heartbreaking stories to iVillage

Lauren's story:
The legacy of domestic violence

Lauren was only 10 years old when she faced a double whammy - not only did her parents divorce, but she learnt that her father had been physically abusing her mother for years. Her mother by this time had turned to alcohol for help and began neglecting her daughter. Lauren was left to fend for herself.

'She didn't care about me and drank all night and slept all day,' says Lauren. 'I had to look after myself.'

Lauren began to spend a lot of time at her friend's house and became involved in taking drugs. The situation was only made worse by the fact that Lauren and her mother had to move home several times to avoid further violence from her father. As a result, Lauren spent several periods in foster and residential care, but often ran away to be with friends.

Things didn't get any better for Lauren when, aged 14, her mother finally settled into a permanent home with a female partner. Lauren admits she resented the arrival of a new adult and left home to be with the family of a friend.

However, things were far from harmonious there. She was sexually assaulted by her friend's brother and was forced to flee. Of course she had nowhere to go and ended up, alone and scared, on the streets.

Lauren coped by taking drugs. Her recollection of that time and her false bravado speak volumes. She says: 'It was alright really 'cos I was just getting powdered up and just getting wrecked off my face - and would end up finding somewhere to sleep.'

When Lauren was 16, she moved into a hostel for young homeless people where she currently lives. Even today, she often harms herself and feels suicidal. 'Everything repeats on me,' she confesses. 'Everything bad that can happen to a person has happened to me.'

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