Child molesters and abductors usually look like everyday people. Tell your kids not to talk to adults they do not know. Anytime they are approached by an adult they should check with a parent or trusted adult immediately.

How Child Molesters Gain A Child's Confidence

Often times they will befriend a child by asking for help. Some examples are:

• Asking to help find a lost pet;
• asking directions to someone's house;
• offering reward money for assistance;
• saying Mom or Dad have been hurt or need their help;
• acting like an undercover police officer (children should only approach uniformed police officers, and/or marked police cars).

They may also gain your child's trust by very minor contacts over several days, such as saying hello to them repeatedly. Make sure your children know to tell you if a stranger is trying to make friends with them.

Children Are Most Vulnerable When Alone

Individuals who prey on children wait for an opportunity when the child is alone. Children should not be outside their home by themselves, even for short periods of time. They should walk to and from school and bus stops in groups. Working together with other families in your neighborhood to develop a formal plan for kids to walk together is a good idea.

Tell Children To Stay Away From Cars

A car or other vehicle is often the means by which the abductor removes the child from the neighborhood. Children should never approach a vehicle unless they are absolutely sure they know the occupants. Abductors entice children to walk near their vehicles and then pull them inside.

If children routinely see the same car parked (or following them) on their normal walking routes (to and from school, etc.) they should report it to trusted adults immediately.

Role Play With Your Kids

Act like a stranger and see how your children react. Teach them the proper way to respond. Kids should:

• Run away.
• Yell loudly.
• Say exactly what is happening
  Examples:
  • "Help, this is not my Dad."
  • "Help, this is not my Mom."
  • "Help, I'm being kidnapped."
  • "Help, call the police."

If Children just scream, people may think they are only throwing a temper tantrum. The more you practice the better your children will be at responding to difficult situations.

A Parents Guide For Preventing Child Abduction

Taking a proactive approach to the problem of abduction is the way to help prevent this from happening to someone you care about. Here are some of the proactive things that you can do:

• Be aware of changes in your child's behavior. find out what is causing the changes and address them.
• Be alert to anyone paying too much undue attention to a child. This might include a teenager as well as an adult.
• Know where your child is at all times and who they are associating with. Communicate with your child openly and freely.
• Make sure that your child understands that they are to never accept gifts from people they do not know.
• Your child should understand that no one should ever approach them and touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable or uneasy. They need to know that it is sometimes all right to say NO to an adult.
• Children should feel comfortable approaching and talking with parents and teachers of any problems. They should be told that if they ever are approached, they should immediately tell their parents, teachers, or a person in authority.
• Children should understand that if they ever get separated from their parents they should not wander around. Let the parents find them.
• If a child gets lost and needs assistance, they should be taught to find a person in authority.
• A child should ask a parent's or teacher's permission to leave a yard or play area BEFORE they leave.
• They should NEVER get into a car or vehicle without a parent's ok.
• They should immediately run away from anyone following them on foot or in a vehicle.
• Children must be taught that is is NOT ok for someone to tell them to keep a special secret.

What the Community Can Do

• Be aware of all strangers in their neighborhood, especially if they pay undue attention to a child.
• Write down information about strangers in your neighborhood.
• Write down information about strange vehicles in their neighborhood.
• Call the police immediately if someone is screaming or being chased by anyone.
• When calling the police it is very important to give the call taker an accurate description of the suspect along with any vehicle being used.

Related Pages and Documents

Internet Safety for Kids
MissingKids.com resources for parents and guardians
Sexual Assault Prevention
Street Smarts