February 9, 2004 Hello! The videotape of an eleven-year-old being led away in Florida has recently made national news, as has the tragic end to her story. "Stranger abductions
fill parents' [and kids'] minds with worry, but the reality is that
75% of all child abductions are perpetrated by a family member or
acquaintance. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that half of
all abducted children are taken by a family member, 25% are taken
by an acquaintance...and 25% are abducted by strangers." What are "family abductions"? What does that mean? Family abductions are those
"in which a family member was trying to deprive a caretaker
of custodial rights. When broken down into more detail, of all the children involved in non-family abductions, less than half were taken by strangers.
Being aware of "stranger
danger" is important, but so is just being aware. "There were approximately
58,200 'non-family abductions' in 1999. Abductions in this category
involved forcibly moving or detaining the child for a relatively
short period of time, usually in connection with another crime. The statistics are in your favor. It is important to be aware, but not necessary to be paranoid. Be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of the situation. Is something about it not right? If you are not comfortable going with a person (even one you know), if they ask you not to tell your parents (or say that your parents already know), then talk to your parents (or another trusted adult like a teacher or principal). Share your concerns. Don't be afraid of hurting someone's feelings; you want to make sure that you are safe. Anyone asking you to go with them for a legitimate reason will understand the need to check things out at home first. And if the situation has you feeling uneasy, you are never too old to talk to your parents (or other trusted adult) about something that gives you the creeps. Many people think of elementary school kids when they think of child abductions. Truth is: "Teenage girls are
the group at greatest risk for non-family abduction. Two-thirds
or more of abduction victims were female, and a majority were That doesn't mean that
this is just for older kids, or just for girls (if two-thirds of
the victims are female, there are still one-third that are male);
and there is still some risk for younger children, but those risks
increase, rather than decrease, as you enter your teen years. You've heard about "stranger
danger" your entire life. For as long as you can remember,
parents and teachers have told you not to talk to strangers, and
what you should do if a stranger talks to you. Questions of the Week: Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
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