BERKELEY (KRON) — Abduction incidents are frightening for parents with children who make their way to school on their own.
Child safety advocate Marc Klaas’s own daughter was kidnapped and murdered 21 years ago. He told KRON what parents can do to help protect their children.
Abductions can happen, and they can happen to smart children. That is why parents should not shy away from having this conversation with their children.
“Did you know that one-third of abductions in the US happen near school grounds? All of the recent attempted abductions happened when children were either on their way to, or from school.
Klaas, with the Klaas Kids Foundation, said parents should talk to their children about safety, as if it’s a life lesson.
“Children are sponges,” he said. “They take up information, and the more good information you give them, the more receptive they’ll be if they find themselves in dangerous situations. Walk your school routes or bus stop routes with your parents. Look for safe places to be and places to avoid, like alleys or stairwells. Trust your feelings. If something doesn’t feel right, put distance between yourself and whatever that is. Do whatever it takes to make sure that you’re not stuffed into someone’s car because once you drive off into the sunset, that’s when the mayhem begins.”
With the number of attempted abductions on the rise, and Halloween a week away, now is a great time to reintroduce the stranger danger conversation.