People often focus on “stranger” abductions when they think of child predators. This conjures up images of shady, ugly, unkempt characters lurking in dark corners and snatching up unsuspecting children and whisking them away.
The truth is that stranger abduction, while the most highly publicized kind of abduction, is actually the least common. Most so-called “stranger” abductions are committed by someone whom the child knows. They may be someone you, your family, or your child sees and interacts with regularly. It is this familiarity that enables the abductor to gain a child’s trust. Therefore, it is critical that parents not only teach their child to stay away from strangers, but to recognize dangerous situations and be armed with effective responses to those situations.
If your child has been abducted by a stranger