Experts share perspectives on child abduction, kidnapping, abuse and safety

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – It’s every parent’s worst nightmare: hearing that a child has vanished or been harmed, but when it comes to discussing the topic of kidnapping with your children, experts say teaching children about strangers is not enough.

According to the Child Crime Prevention & Safety Center, a child is reported missing or abducted in the United States approximately every 40 seconds. On an annual basis, around 840,000 children are reported missing, with the FBI estimating that between 85 and 90 percent of abduction cases involve children. The Child Crime Prevention & Safety Center also reports family kidnappings make up half of all reported abductions in the United States. Within the category of non-family abductions, committed by acquaintances and strangers account for 27 percent of all child abductions.

Experts with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children say parents should learn when and where children may be at risk of abduction. They should also teach kids about these situations and what to do if they occur.

“We want families to talk about safety plans in their homes and in their communities. We want children to be alert and aware, and also to look for trusted people in their lives. To be comfortable to talk to those trusted people about anything that makes them uncomfortable,” said National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Family Advocacy Director Lanae Holmes.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Family Advocacy Director Lanae Holmes.

When a child goes missing, it can be nerve-racking for kids, parents and an entire community.

“They’re not just missing from their home, they’re missing from their schoolmates and they’re missing from their extracurricular activities and their social circle and their church home, and so an entire community can be affected,” said Holmes.

Experts with Scotty’s House in Bryan say the sooner you have these discussions, the better.

“If you start having those conversations with children at a very young age, it’s not so uncomfortable or so difficult. Waiting until a child is 12 or 13 to try and sit down and have a talk about sex or things like that is extremely uncomfortable,” said Scotty’s House Director of Clinical Services Alison Pourteau.

Scotty’s House Director of Clinical Services Alison Pourteau.

Holmes says when talking to your children, don’t focus on warning them about certain types of people. Instead, teach them to identify and respond to threatening situations.

“We don’t want to instill fear in our children, but we do want to instill confidence and have children be prepared,” Holmes added. “So we talk to parents a lot about having family safety plans or having trusted people around your children so they know who they can go to if they’re in a tough situation.”

Finally, experts say observing, listening, and understanding your children are equally important.

“Let that child know that the parent is a safe person to talk to, that any conversation we can talk about it. It’s not going to be embarrassing, you won’t get in trouble, and it doesn’t matter who it is that’s made you feel uncomfortable. If you feel uncomfortable in any way, talk to me. Let’s discuss how we can handle it, how we can make you feel better,” added Pourteau.