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Prevention
Tips
Tips
to
keep your child safe
The
best
chance a child has against the tens of thousands of molesters and
abductors’ walking the streets of this country is your willingness,
as a
parent, to sit down and prepare them. Obviously, this isn’t an
easy
subject to discuss with a child. But if you take time and
approach it as
safety rules, like a fire drill, it doesn’t have to be frightening
at
all. This may look like a lot of work, but it’s not. It
might be the
most important thing you ever do with your child. PLEASE TAKE
THE TIME TO
DO IT RIGHT.
NEVER
ASSUME
THAT YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE ABDUCTED, ABUSED OR
EXPLOITED
- Have your
child(ren)
fingerprinted.
- Always
maintain a
current photograph of your child(ren), including current height
and
weight.
- Obtain a
passport
for your child(ren). Once obtained, it is hard for someone
else to
obtain another one.
- Know who your
child’s friends are, their parents, address and phone number.
- Never leave
your
child unattended (i.e. shopping malls, a car, home, etc.)
- Teach your
child(ren)
how to use 911 and 0.
- Make sure your
child(ren) know their full names (and yours), phone number and
area
code, address including city and state. Make a game of
teaching them
to call home long distance.
- If you are
separated
or divorced let your children’s administrators know about
visitation
rights, for example, tell them whether or not your ex-spouse is
allowed to pick up the child(ren).
- Really listen
to
anything and everything your child tells you.
- Children
should know
that a stranger is any adult they don’t know well. Even
someone they
see every day, like a neighbor or bus driver, can be a
stranger. This
doesn’t mean strangers are bad. It just means a child
shouldn’t be
alone with them.
- Discuss
scenarios
with your child(ren). Teach them what to do if they get
lost.
- Abductors use
many
lures to attract children: They may ask for help, like asking
for
directions or finding a lost pet. Children want to help, but
teach
your child(ren) that adults should ask other adults for help.
They
shouldn’t ask children. If a stranger asks for help, say no and
stay
away from them. They may offer gifts, such as candy, money,
jobs, or
lure them with a pet or a toy. Teach your child(ren) to never
accept
gifts from a stranger.
- Strangers may
pretend to be an authority figure, such as a police officer or a
clergyman. Uniforms are easy to get. If a person in
a uniform of
authority approaches your child, teach them that they should ask
another adult to assist them.
- Strangers may
create
an emergency by saying something like; “your parents are hurt,
I’m
supposed to take you to the hospital.” Tell your child
this would
never happen.
- A lot of
children
are abducted on their way to and from school or the park.
A child
alone is an easy target. Teach children to walk and play
together and
to watch out for each other.
- Teach your
child(ren)
that no one has the right to touch them or make them feel
uncomfortable. Explain to young children that the parts of
their body
that their bathing suit covers are their “private parts” and no
one
has the right to touch them there.
- Teach them
that if
any of these situations occur, they should tell you.
- Assure your
child(ren) that if they’re ever lost or abducted, you will
always love
them and will look for them until you find them, no matter
what. This
is critical because most abductors tell children that their
parents
don’t want them anymore. If they believe this, they don’t
have
anywhere else to go.
- Children must
know
that you want them to come home.
Finally, take your
time
teaching your child(ren) each of these points and be sure to
reinforce
them regularly. One good way is to turn it into a quiz
game. Be sure to
praise them when they know the right answer.
As parents, members
of
the community and as a Nation, we must help the children who have
been
entrusted in our care. On behalf of the children we seek to
protect and
serve, we look forward to your support.
Tips on Baby Sitters
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Child / Parent Safety
Checklist
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