By
in
This week, a video went viral that showed how easily a stranger could sway children to come with him, even while near the parents at a playground. A social psychology student asked three mothers separately if he thought their children would talk to a stranger, and all three mothers replied no. So, the student proposed to each mother about an experiment he wished to try for his studies – to see if these children would, in fact, talk to strangers. Since the mothers were confident in their children, they agreed to the experiment.
The experiment went as follows: The student, a man, comes up to the child while he or she is playing in the playground. The mother is looking on, but is at least 20 yards away from her child. The man entices the child with his cute dog, inviting him to pet the dog, and engaging the child in conversation about how cute the dog is. The man then ends the conversation by saying, “I have more cute dogs! Do you want to come with me to see them?”
Guess how all three children responded? With an eager “Yes!” Not one child came to ask their mother, sitting in the same playground, if it was okay to follow after someone they just met. The assumption was that if he has a cute dog, and is a friendly man, then it’s okay. No questions. Let’s just go!
Child abduction is every parent’s nightmare. No trace. Waiting days, weeks, months, or longer for an answer. Or maybe a security guard, the police, a friend, or family do find the child, only he’s dead, even maimed. Hard to read this? It sure is, but unfortunately, parents must be aware of the possibility of abduction, often for sexual abuse or other abuse.
To be sure, of the 467,000 abductions reported last year, only about 100 were the stereotypical nightmare in this video. And this video is questionable as well for a variety of reasons. An example of a more realistic approach comes from Lenore Skenazy, “Free-Range Children” advocate, who prefers the “you can talk to any one, but you cannot GO with anyone” mindset. But still, 100 children is 100 children.
In terms of education, each parent will weigh the risks and will decide how they wish to approach the topic. Here a few sites with information for consideration:
Kid’s Health – Preventing Abductions
How to Prevent Your Child Against Abduction – Broward County, FL Sheriff
Kid Power Safety Tips: Preventing Your Child From Kidnapping/Abduction
One option to teach children is to seek out a security officer. ISSM private security guards are trained to keep an eye out for child abduction during large family gatherings, at amusement parks, and child-friendly venues. Call ISSM for more information.
