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News
Beware
of Child Abductions, Attempts Reported
Posted 22 June 2008
Each year, approximately 797,500 children younger that 18 are reported
missing resulting in a nationwide average of 2,185 children being
reported missing each day. 203,900 children were the victims of family
abductions. 58,200 children were the victims of non-family abductions.
115 children were the victims of “stereotypical” kidnapping. (These
crimes involve someone the child does not know or someone of slight
acquaintance, who holds the child overnight, transports the child 50
miles or more, kills the child, demands ransom, or intends to keep the
child permanently.
In Iowa in 2007, 6223 persons were reported as missing, lost, or
abducted. 91% of reported missing persons cases are juvenile with 9%
being adult cases. 94% of those cases were cleared by the end of the
year leaving 6% or 373 persons still missing or lost.
From June 9 to June 17, 2008 in Central Iowa, six attempted abductions
were reported to law enforcement. In most of the cases, a male subject
attempted to entice female children into a vehicle by offering money if
they would go for a ride. In each of the cases, the suspect drove
around the block several times waiting for the right moment to approach
the children. Luckily, none of the children became victims. Older
children or other family members in the area seemed to deter the
crimes.
It is important for parents to take 25 minutes to sit down with their
children and discuss the dangers of talking to strangers. The National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers a program called “Take
25” that parents can use to talk to their children about being safe. As
a part of that program, these 25 tips can help parents talk about the
issue with children to help keep them safe.
1. Teach your children their full names, address, and home telephone
number. Make sure they know your full name.
2. Make sure your children know how to reach you at work or on your
cell phone.
3. Teach your children how and when to use 911 and make sure your
children have a trusted adult to call if they’re scared or have an
emergency.
4. Instruct children to keep the door locked and not to open the door
to talk to anyone when they are home alone. Set rules with your
children about having visitors over when you’re not home and how to
answer the telephone.
5. Choose babysitters with care. Obtain references from family,
friends, and neighbors. Once you have chosen the caregiver, drop in
unexpectedly to see how your children are doing. Ask children how the
experience with the caregiver was and listen carefully to their
responses.
On the Net
6. Learn about the Internet. The more you know about how the Web works,
the better prepared you are to teach your children about potential
risks. Visit www.NetSmartz.org for more information about Internet
safety.
7. Place the family computer in a common area, rather than a child’s
bedroom. Also, monitor their time spent online and the websites they’ve
visited and establish rules for Internet use.
8. Know what other access your child may have to the Internet at
school, libraries, or friends’ homes.
9. Use privacy settings on social networking sites to limit contact
with unknown users and make sure screen names don’t reveal too much
about your children.
10. Encourage your children to tell you if anything they encounter
online makes them feel sad, scared, or confused.
11. Caution children not to post revealing information or inappropriate
photos of themselves or their friends online.
At School
12. Walk the route to and from school with your children, pointing out
landmarks and safe places to go if they’re being followed or need help.
If your children ride a bus, visit the bus stop with them to make sure
they know which bus to take.
13. Remind kids to take a friend whenever they walk or bike to school.
Remind them to stay with a group if they’re waiting at the bus stop.
14. Caution children never to accept a ride from anyone unless you have
told them it is OK to do so in each instance.
Out and About
15. Take your children on a walking tour of the neighborhood and tell
them whose homes they may visit without you.
16. Remind your children it’s OK to say NO to anything that makes them
feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused and teach your children to tell
you if anything or anyone makes them feel this way.
17. Teach your children to ask permission before leaving home.
18. Remind your children not to walk or play alone outside.
19. Teach your children to never approach a vehicle, occupied or not,
unless they know the owner and are accompanied by a parent, guardian,
or other trusted adult.
20. Practice "what if" situations and ask your children how they would
respond. “What if you fell off your bike and you needed help? Who would
you ask?”
21. Teach your children to check in with you if there is a change of
plans.
22. During family outings, establish a central, easy-to-locate spot to
meet for check-ins or should you get separated.
23. Teach your children how to locate help at theme parks, sports
stadiums, shopping malls, and other public places. Also, identify those
people who they can ask for help, such as uniformed law enforcement,
security guards and store clerks with nametags.
24. Help your children learn to recognize and avoid potential risks, so
that they can deal with them if they happen.
25. Teach your children that if anyone tries to grab them, they should
make a scene and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming,
and resisting.
For more information contact the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678.)
Article courtesy of Chief Randall A. Grady, Mar-Mac Police
Department, 563-873-2500.
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