Tips to Reduce the Risk of Child Abduction.
For Immediate Release
WINNIPEG, MB: In response to recent suspicious incidents involving children in Winnipeg, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (Canadian Centre) would like to provide parents and caregivers with information to help safeguard children. Canadian Centre’s Reduce Your Child’s Risk of Abduction safety sheet will help adults become more aware of risks in order to help protect children from potential harm.
“We know that ‘stranger danger’ is an outdated and ineffective safety message in reducing a child’s risk of abduction and victimization,” says Christy Dzikowicz, Director of MissingKids.ca, a program of the Canadian Centre. “We need to teach children not to go anywhere with anyone without first receiving permission from their parents or guardians.”
With the arrival of warmer weather, children will be playing outside more frequently. It’s important for parents and caregivers to take time to review safety strategies with children, such as: ‘If you’re asked to go and your parents don’t know, SHOUT NO!’ employing the buddy system and trusting their instincts, if someone makes them feel uncomfortable they should ‘SHOUT NO! Run and tell someone.’
The Canadian Centre encourages parents and other caregivers to review more valuable safety strategies for safeguarding children by visiting Kids in the Know.ca.