Prevention Works – Spread the Word: re-blog this, Tweet it, Facebook it, tell someone…

A few weeks ago I went to one of The “Prevention Works” workshop hosted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Quite frankly I went for the free lunch, but boy am I glad I like to eat. As they were going over the slides, state the numbers and show those videos my heart nearly stops. It was like an episode of criminal minds but only it was real. It is a crazy world out there! I feel it is my obligation to share this with you moms. I have a hard time putting my kids in the nursery for a few hours where I know they are being cared for. I can’t even imagine my child goes missing and not even know where to look. This is every parent’s nightmare, no moms want to be in the evening news about a missing child. Abduction is preventable Here are a few things you can do to make sure your kids are safe.

How parents can protect children from abduction
* Know where your children are at all times and who they are with.
* Never leave your child alone in a public place, stroller or car.
* Always accompany younger children to a public restroom.
* Teach your children not to accept rides and gifts from strangers.
* Always accompany your child on door-to-door activities, i.e. Halloween, school fundraising campaigns, etc.
* Establish a routine for picking your children up from school or other events.
* Agree on a simple code word for emergency situations. A trusted adult who knows the code word can pick up your child if necessary.
* Make sure your child knows their full name, address and phone number.
* Teach your child how to reach you (home, office, mobile)
* Teach your child how to call the police.
* Have a plan in case your child gets separated from you in public.
* Teach your child to stay in groups of friends when going anywhere .
* Tell your children about child abductions in simple and easy to understand terms. Awareness can help them protect themselves.
* Avoid clothing and toys with your child’s name on it. A child may not fear someone who knows his/her name.
* Promote an environment in which your child feels free to talk to you.
* Let your child know that you will pick them up at any time, any place.
* Listen closely when your child talks about friends or aquaintances they spend time with in your absence.
* Check all potential babysitters and older friends of your child.
* Teach your child to recognize suspicious behavior and collect descriptions.
* Urge your child to think escape / survival if he or she were ever abducted.
* Speak to your local law enforcement agency to find out about neighborhood watch.
* Get to know your neighbors and the children in the area. Make sure your child’s friends know your house is safe and they can seek help from you.
* Check with your local law enforcement to find out if there are sexual offenders in your area.
* Use a system such as KidSave to organize your child’s photo and child ID card with pertinent descriptive data.
* Keep up-to-date medical/dental history and finger print cards.
* Teach your child that there is always someone to help them, and they have the right to be safe.
Patterns of abduction
* In abduction cases, the first few hours are the most critical.
* 75% of abductions are by a family member or an acquaintance.
* Only 25% of kids are taken by strangers.The majority of these abductors are men
* When kids are taken by strangers, 66% of the victims are female children.
* 76% percent of victims are Caucasian females with and average age of 11 years.
* Infant abductions are fairly rare, but the abductors are usually women.
* Most abducted children are in their teens.
* Most abductors/predators are usually highly skilled in the art of manipulation.
* Abductors/predators often single out a lone child or one that is out late at night alone.
* Abductors/predators usually befriend their victim.
* Abductors/predators singls out children or teenagers that seem to have problems at home.
* Abductors/predators identify and pursue at-risk children or teens is.
* Many child abductors/predators were victims of domestic violence themselves.
* The majority of children reported missing are either run-aways or there has been a miscommunication with their parents.
Stranger Danger is not always true. While strangers do use tricks to abduct children stats shows that almost half the time its someone they know – so make sure you know who comes in contact with your children.

Recognizing signs of child sexual abuse
* Changes in behavior, extreme mood swings, withdrawal, fearlessness, excessive crying
* Bed-wetting, nightmares, fear of going to bed and sleep disorders
* Acting out inappropriate sexual activity or showing unusual interest in sexual matters
* A sudden acting out of feelings or aggressive, rebellious behavior
* Regression to infantile behavior
* A fear of certain places, people or activities
* Pain, itching, bleeding, fluid or rawness in the private areas

There are resources out there to help be sure to check out these site:

http://www.nsopw.gov

www.cybertipline.com

http://netsmartz411.org/

http://www.kidsave.com/

If you are a praying family, pray over your children they need God’s protection when we are not around.

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