While a high profile kidnapping or abduction is unlikely to happen to your child, according to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, 40.3 percent of these crimes are crimes of opportunity. Don’t give would be kidnappers that opportunity; here are a few precautions suggested by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to keep your children from ever becoming a statistic:
- Teach your children to run from danger, never toward it. If anyone tries to grab them, they should make a scene; yell loudly, “this person is not my father/mother/guardian!”; and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting.
- Never let your kids go anywhere alone. Older children should always take a friend when they go anywhere.
- Know where your kids are and whom they are with at all times. Remind them never to take anything or respond in any way if approached by anyone they don’t know.
- Talk openly to your kids about safety and encourage them to tell you or a trusted adult if anyone or anything makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused.
- Know your kid’s friends and their families.
- Have a list of family members who could be contacted in case of an emergency.
- Designate a family member or close associate who would be able to fill the role of advisor in case of an emergency.
- Be alert to and aware of your surroundings. Know and plan what you would do in different emergencies.
- Know your employees and coworkers. Do background screening and reference checks on everyone who works at your home, particularly those individuals who care for your children.
- Consider varying your daily routines and habits. Don’t always take the same routes.
- Report any suspicious persons or activities to law enforcement. If you feel anyone in your family has been targeted or is being stalked, immediately report this information to law-enforcement authorities. Do not wait.
Remember you are your best resource for safeguarding your family. Don’t become complacent about personal security issues.
Download NCMEC’s Prevention Tips for Parents and Guardians here.
If your child is missing immediately check out: Missing Kids.
8 Comments on "Kidnapping: Preventing a Parent’s Worst Nightmare"
jennifer
I love the tips on this site for keeping kids safe. Only
thing I do differently is I teach my kids to yell stranger danger! Help me!.
Jennifer
Trish in Az
Please yell “fire,” when in real danger.
As many hear kids yelling Help quite a bit,
or some people turn from helping others.
Everyone “looks” & “reacts” to the word FIRE.
%alwayswearyourseatbelts………………..
Carmelita in NJ
Yes yell very loud no matter what..I can recall a situation when I was in Kmart and this man was in front of me. He turned and looked at me and said is it ok for me to give your daughter a $1.00 I said “NO”. This is the type of nonsense that is out here and people prey on the innocent.
Natalie Schultz
I’ve heard that kids shouldn’t scream, because they scream all the time in play, and nobody really notices, they should instead make a loud guttural noise that everyone will turn at.
Karyn udland
When me and my brother were little my mom always said make sure you know your surroundings.. my brother was at the minnesota state fair and was riding his bike home when a car with 2 males were following him… he rode as fast as he could and made it to the grocery store… and there was a policeman there at the time.. the policeman followed my brother home… then that car circled the block where he lived and my oldest brother went out to check it out and one of them got back into his car and left.. we thank god everyday that he was smart enought to find a responsible adult to keep him safe
ishmael
i think this a great oppertunitie to keep all familys safe because one time a man in a red van kept circuling the block roleing by looking at my sisters and i am greatful that my uncle was outside beccause if he wasen’t i don’t know what could of happend.
ishmael
aia watch this show every weekend and i thing this is goo for safety. young children dont just yell if you are in this situation. Yell the cap yell nad someone will notice it
RosemarieAMW
We can teach our children to yell and run, If someone tries to take our child,We really don’t know how they will behave.Our child may freeze or just get scare,and won’t do anything.I sell Child Guard it’s a monitor, That if a child goes beyond 6 to 30 feet, the transmitter which the adult carrys goes off. I not here to sell anyone,but i get sick when i hear of a child is missing or found dead. Its an option. My heart and prays goes out to family’s who went threw this nightmare. God Bless.
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