I ran away to another country just to get away from my father's abuse. When you said he treats you more like a wife, that really hit home for me. I saw my therapist yesterday and she told me that the relationship between my father and I sounds more like a relationship between a couple.

He never sexually abused me, it was all psychological, and only once physical, which was the breaking point and realization that I had to escape for sure. I left Kentucky to live in Sweden with my boyfriend.

He called me names whenever I didn't do as I was told, and keep in mind I'm 20, and he was still doing it up until I left. In fact, he still tried to manipulate me into doing things he wants me to do from a distance. He told me if I don't come home and help him, I'm evil.

Unfortunately, I'm not able to stay in the country, so I either have to go back to him or my mother who left me alone with him as a child or I'm homeless.

If you really want to run away, I suggest having a place to stay where you know for sure that you'll be safe and you'll be in a positive environment. Don't do something rash and end up in a situation like me. Even though I did plan part of my escape, I didn't look at all the variables and I left in a hurry. Now I'm lost, broken, and I feel so much abandonment from everyone, even my boyfriend, even though in my mind I do understand why he can't come back to the US with me.

The most important thing at this point is your happiness. You need to go and do your own thing, and that will help you feel a lot better about yourself and your life. You need to go out there and discover who you are, because as far as I can tell, you've been told how to live and how to act your entire life.

I have nothing against running away, as long as you have somewhere to go and you know it will be a safe environment.

Worry about yourself now, and you can deal with your family later once you've gotten yourself together.