Crime Preventions Resources - Missing Kids! (written for Action For Children)
Every single day greater than 2100 children are officially reported missing. The real number may be closer to 3500! A missing child can mean a lot of things. For many the term creates images of a child abduction... a child forced into a car by a predator. Fortunately that reality is relatively rare, although even extremely rare is unacceptable. However the vast majority of missing children do not fall into this group. About 150 kids per day are snatched by a parent, which incidentally is not nearly as “good” as it sounds. These kids are not taken for their well-being. These missing kids are taken as instruments of revenge! They are pawns in ugly divorce where hurting the other spouse is the objective. Not knowing where your kids are is certainly a painful situation for the parent and family left searching and the damage to the child is nothing short of tragic. Notoriously these missing kids don't go to school, obtain medical attention, or develop socially, and are lied to regarding family and friends. Parental abductions cause mental issues that can impact a child's life on so many levels. Trust is a rare commodity after a parent lies to you. Many times the child abducted by a parent is told the other parent is dead. So when you hear about parental abductions understand the reality that exists for the child.
Over 1000 kids each and every day are reported missing and listed as runaways! These kids pose a unique situation as many are trying not to be found for some reason or another. Two-thirds are sexually solicited within the first 48 hours on the street. A large number end up becoming victims of human trafficking, forced into lives of prostitution.
Raising awareness of the unreal numbers of missing and victimized children is the mission of Child Rescue Network(CRN). CRN is working to dramatically reduce the number of children being sexually abused and exploited through a variety of community outreach programs that educate parents and communities on the best ways to empower kids to help them recognize potentially dangerous situations and how to react should the need arise. Discover more at www.ChildRescueNetwork.org.
