How to protect a child from abduction

Are you sure that your child is peacefully playing in the sandbox in the yard? Perhaps at this very time he is trustingly extending his palm to a new acquaintance or getting into his car? It's too early to panic, but it's just necessary to warn the baby from danger. How to recognize a criminal, what to do in case of danger and how a child should act in order not to fall into the hands of intruders and how to protect children from abduction — read about this and much more in the article.

Sad statisticsThe International Center for the Search for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) shares disappointing statistics.

According to ICMEC reports, more than 200 thousand children disappear in Europe every year. In Brazil, Australia and Canada, these figures are lower. It's hard to believe, but every day more than 900 missing child reports are registered in the world. 

Up to 75% of all applications are for teenagers from 13 to 17 years old. Some run away from boarding schools or dysfunctional families. Others are attracted by the thirst for adventure, the desire for independence or first love. It happens that teenagers leave home because of a conflict with their parents against the background of a turbulent transition age. In most cases, such an experience ends safely, and the "runners" are unharmed.

Also read: Teenage girl. Features of the child. The subtleties of education

But the rest of the missing are children under the age of thirteen. At this age, children are more likely to be abducted than run away from home. Preschool children are not aware of the danger and may become a victim of an accident: fall into an open hatch, drown in a pond or get lost in the woods. According to statistics, up to 90% of missing children are found alive within the first day after the start of the search. Thanks to the perseverance of the police, as well as a lucky coincidence, the rest of the children can be found after some time. And only a few remain "missing" for many years.

Also read: Teenage boy. Features of the child. The subtleties of education

Who steals our children and whyKidnappers are usually driven by two goals: the thirst for profit and the satisfaction of their unhealthy desires.

Children are forced to beg on the streets, handed over to sexual slavery, sold to "black transplantologists", and demand a huge ransom from their parents. At the same time, it is not a fact that after receiving the money, the child will be left alive. 

Children become victims of maniacs and pedophiles. There are cases when children were abducted by people with severe psychological trauma against the background of the death of their own child. 

Children are abducted not only from playgrounds or courtyards, but also from kindergartens and schools. The inattention of teachers and the credulity of children play into the hands of kidnappers, who often masterfully master psychological techniques. Often, attackers are so sociable and friendly that they can confuse even an adult.  

The main reason why kidnappings are possible at all is the friendliness and openness of children. We teach them to help and respond politely to people, to thank them for the treats, not to show their feelings in public, not to shout and not to get hysterical on the street. And there comes a time when a child simply cannot respond rudely, leave or refuse to help a complete stranger. 

It is almost impossible to find a missing child a year later, because children's facial features change very quickly. If a child is abducted at an early age (for example, before the age of three), he quickly forgets his parents and gets used to life in other conditions.

Learn about how to teach a child to think with his own head and make the right decisions independently - at Dmitry Karpachev's free online master class "What every parent should know". 

How to protect a child from abduction!Despite the seriousness of the situation, do not make the child hostile towards the world and the people around him.

Don't scare him with "bad guys". Teach your child to be friendly and not to be afraid of strangers. 

Your task as a parent is to establish clear safety rules for children of different ages. For a preschooler, it is enough to learn that:you can't go far away from your parents on a walk;

• you can't leave with strangers;
• you can not take sweets or toys from strangers without the permission of parents.

For older children, the rules need to be supplemented, since you will not always accompany them on a walk or on the way to school. Tell your child about typical situations that may precede abduction. For example, a stranger:offers something for free;

• asks for help;
• invites you to his home or in the car;
• acts on behalf of parents without their warning.

Very often, the attacker turns out to be a close acquaintance or a family friend. Therefore, if a child feels threatened by any adult, he must act immediately.

What to do in such situations: abruptly stop communicating without fear of seeming impolite;

• leave/run away as soon as possible, go to a store or other crowded place;
• call your parents (the child should know by heart the number of mom or dad in case the phone is lost); 
• contact adults (a shop assistant or a store security guard, a woman with a child on the playground) and ask them to call the police;
• if they lure you away or try to take you away by force — in any way to attract the attention of others: to scream, whimper, scream, fall to the ground and call for help;
• if the child is held by force, it is possible to simulate a seizure, vomiting or loss of consciousness. As soon as the criminal gets confused, run as soon as possible.

A child can be abducted not only from the street, but also from home. Here, follow the classics: teach the child not to open the doors to strangers under any circumstances. Everyone gets on the list of outsiders, except the parents. Explain that you have a key and you can open the doors yourself. Agree that in case of an unforeseen situation (for example, loss of a key), you will first call by phone and ask to be let in. 

What can you do:Set up hotkeys on the child's phone in case of an emergency.

2. Install a special program (GPS locator) that determines the location of the child with a difference of several meters.
3. Use modern gadgets. For example, a children's watch with a tracking function, a mobile phone and a camera.

If the misfortune still happenedDo not rely on your own strength, do not take chaotic panic actions.

Contact the police immediately! Usually missing children are found within an hour after the start of the search, but every hour this possibility decreases. 

So, the procedure is as follows:Call the police and make an oral statement about the missing child.

2. Call the hotline of the public volunteer organization (in Ukraine, this is the "Child Search Service", phone 116 000, "Lisa Alert": 8-800-700-54-52; in Russia, the Association "Search for Missing Children": +7(499)686-02-01).
3. Go to the police station. During the visit, it is mandatory to have an up-to-date photo of the child and his belongings (for a service dog). Do not hide any details that accompanied the disappearance of the child (time, place, possible conflict or quarrel between you). Be as honest as possible with the police, any information will help in the search for the child. 
4. Publish full information about the missing child in the thematic groups for finding children in your region.

It happens that malefactors kidnap children in large supermarkets and shops, taking advantage of a large crowd of people. As soon as you discover the missing child, act immediately! Ask the guards to block the exits and check each person. Make an announcement to the child that you are waiting for him in a certain place (in case he just lost sight of you and got lost). And one more announcement — for a potential attacker. Promise that if he releases the child immediately, he will be able to leave the building without police harassment. 

Don't stay awayIf you suspect that a kidnapping is being prepared, be sure to intervene.

Remember: next time someone else's child may be yours. A child with an adult walks reluctantly, screams, falls to the ground.

1. Of course, this may be an indicative tantrum for parents. But if a child fights off an adult and cries a lot, perhaps a stranger is trying to take the baby away by force. Ask the adult what happened, and the kid — who this woman or man is to him. Real parents will be able to explain to you the reason for the hysteria and even thank you for your vigilance. The kidnapper will abandon his plans, because you have already paid attention to him and remembered his appearance.
2. A suspicious person watches children on the playground or in the yard for a long time. Make sure that he is not walking his child and really came alone, and then let him know that he is noticed. Ideally, take it on your phone's camera. In this case, the villain will most likely hide.
3. Before your eyes, a stranger takes the child away after a few minutes of dialogue. At the same time, the baby calls the companion uncle or aunt. You should also be alerted by the difference in the appearance of an adult and a child (a decently dressed child and a sloppily or poorly dressed adult). Come and ask the child where they are going, who his companion is and how long they have known each other. 
4. A representative of the authorities is talking to the child, while the baby looks confused and depressed. Ask clarifying questions, ask the "policeman" to show documents. In case of refusal, do not hesitate to photograph it with your phone.

Do not doubt the correctness and necessity of your actions. Your intervention will help to snatch another child from the hands of the criminal. 

*****

Don't be indifferent! Tell your loved ones how to protect your child from abduction. Don't rush past the little beggars. Do not close your eyes to a crying child on the street. Look carefully at the children, next to whom there are no adults. Perhaps they have been looking for them for a long time and are very much waiting at home. And in order to protect your child from such situations, he must be taught independence and responsibility. Find out how to do it correctly at Dmitry Karpachev's free master class "What every parent should know" - register here April 22, 2020 2022-11-27 2020-04-22 Rate the article on a 5-point scale Did you like the article?