Personal Safety and Exploitation
Talking to children about good touches and bad touches, dealing with strangers and even people they know who maybe acting inappropriately to them is sometimes a tricky subject. But it is necessary not only for a parents piece of mind but for a child's empowerment in dealing with and putting a stop to the problem.
In the year 2002 seven year old Danielle van Dam and fourteen year old Elizabeth Smart were abducted from their bedrooms in the middle of the night, like the 1993 abduction and murder of Polly Klaas. There are also recent cases of children being misled from on-line chats and news trusted members of the clergy abusing boys in their charge and care. But these cases of abuse and exploitation by persons known to children and strangers don't just happen in the US or other western countries. They can happen all over the world as this report by the Pakistan daily newspaper Dawn attests to.
As parents and educators we understand our responsibility to give and teach our children the tools necessary to succeed and have a fruitful life. Teaching about personal safety and exploitation, no matter how uncomfortable it is for us, is one of the tools we must give our children. Thinking that it will not happen to us so we need not teach our children, and staying silent only opens the door for Shaytan.
Ideas for school, homeschool and home
Resources
link will appear in separate window
Articles Stemming from Recent Events 7/29/2002
Neighbors
capture man who grabbed 5-year-old (boy playing
in own fenced backyard)
Articles from 7/24/2002
Experts: Stranger abductions are rare and getting rarer
Safety expert offers tips to avoid abduction
Tips
for children to avoid abduction
National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children
www.missingkids.com
Click on Educational Resources for information and handouts for your
school and family
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Featured Publications: Also: |
Campaign for Teenage Girls:
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Other Resources
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The
Lost Child Interpol
Missing Children Polly
Klaas Foundation Klaas Kids Foundation NCMEC Library |
On-Line Safety NetSmartz Kids NetSmartz Parents & Educators: |
Inquiry
What is "Code Adam?"
www.missingkids.com/html/code_adam_story.html
...Who are John and Adam Walsh?
......europe.cnn.com/US/9602/adam_walsh
......www.kepplerassociates.com/walsh.htm
......www.kernel.uky.edu/1995/summer/061595/061508.htm
......www.time.com/time/magazine/1997/dom/971027/abook.an_american_t.html
What is the AMBER Plan?
www.missingkids.com/html/amberplan.html
www.klaaskids.org/pg-amberplan.htm
www.amber-plan.net/the_plan.htm
California's First "AMBER Alert"
. . . www.cnn.com/2002/US/08/13/missing.girl.california/index.html
Texas AMBER Alert issued 8/14/2002
... dailynews.attbi.com/cgi-bin/news?e=pri&dt=020814&cat=news&st=newscrimeinfantdc
Ideas for school, homeschool and home
Hold a Safety Day ( a few ideas)
* Invite the local Police Department, or child's safety instructor to
talk about personal safety
* Hold a "Teach-In" for parents, students and staff
* Hand out Safety Kits* | NCMEC Safety Kits | Klaas
Foundation Safety Kits
* Make ID kits* | KidCare
Photo ID Kit
* Assign older students to find out if your state has an AMBER Plan.
If not how would one go about encouraging your state to adopt one? (civics
and empowerment)
Use the educator kits and handouts linked on this page in your classrooms and homeschools.
Go over safety rules with your students and children every few months
* = Encourage your masjid to hold workshops
Print out this page and use as a beginning resource and information pointer list.