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| | According to the U.S. Department of Justice an average of 2,185 children are reported missing each day.
We cannot be with our children 24 hours a day, so it is our duty as parents to teach our children (at a young age) every possible method of crime prevention. Children should be taught crime prevention in order to help protect themselves in the years to come from the cruelties of the world we live in. When we teach such methods to children, many times they will teach other children what they have learned, helping to further reduce the chances of more innocent kids being victimized.
Recent reports suggest that children of all ages are in more danger than ever before of becoming the victims of a variety of heinous crimes. Such crimes will undoubtedly leave emotional and/or physical scars that last a lifetime. The following statistics confirm this alarming truth:
- 85% of all children who are victimized by crime know the predator(s).
- 50,000 children (on average) are reported missing every year.
- 1 out of 4 children are victims of inappropriate sexual conduct.
- 20% of sexual abuse cases against children are committed by family members.
The following crime prevention tips should help your children better understand personal safety. - Always make your children carry identification with them at all times. Provide them with a laminated card that has their full name, age, address, contact phone numbers in case of an emergency, blood type, allergies to medication, physicians name, address, and phone numbers. Many communities have free identification programs available to all children. You can use this service to help register and protect your children. Call your local police department to get information about any programs in your area.
- Teach your children to use the telephone to dial 911 and what to say when the dispatcher answers the call.
- Have passwords for your children that are used between you and your family only in emergencies.
- Tell your children that if they are ever confronted with a dangerous situation, cry out for assistance. Yelling "FIRE! FIRE!" instead of "HELP!" will generally bring faster attention and response.
- Do not use scare tactics on your children. Statistics prove they do not work. Instead, talk to your children about the numerous hazards and dangers that are present in our society.
- Explain to your children that they are ultimately responsible for their own safety, especially when you are not around to help. This will most likely help them gain more responsibility and further assist them in taking control of their own safety.
- Make children aware of their own instincts and senses. Children can sense danger at very young ages. Studies show that children between the ages of 3 to 5 are able to think for themselves, place judgement, and know right from wrong.
- Show children how to ask for help. Tell them who they can ask for help and that it is always OK to ask for help in any situation. Encourage them to act on any instinctual need (their inner voice) they may have to express their feelings. Children who are encouraged to speak their feelings, have a much better chance of stopping abuse before it happens.
- Warn your children about strangers, and why they are not to interact with them at all! Explain to your children that a stranger is ANYONE they do not personally know.
- Predators test children to see how trusting their potential victims might be toward them. Predators can be very patient, talking to a child several times trying to gain trust before actually committing their crimes.
- Demonstrate to your children what methods and tactics predators will use to gain a child's trust, and eventually lure them into a trap. Explain that a stranger will try to gain their trust by asking for help, (such as finding their lost dog or something similar), try to bribe them with candy or toys, act like they are in trouble or need assistance, or anything else to appeal to a child's sincere and helpful nature.
- Explain that when child offers resistance to a stranger, they (the predator) will often use phrases like "I thought you liked me", or "I thought we were friends" to make the child feel guilty about resisting. If your child knows these tactics beforehand, they are much likely to resist since they know what to expect.
- Instruct your children to tell someone immediately that they have been approached by a stranger, and to ask that person to report the incident to the police.
- At young ages, children understand touch and affection. Explain good touching and bad touching to your children. Show them where on their body it is OK to touch, and where it is not OK to touch. Be certain they know to report any bad touching to you immediately, and not to be ashamed or scared to do so.
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