 |  |  |  |  |  |
Important - Pay Attention!!
- Children will follow strangers. Therefore, NEVER leave
your child unattended. - Strangers may not be the only source of danger to
your child. Therefore, stay alert for all signs of
inappropriate behavior by others.
Safety of Your Children
Women's Personal Safety Network
|
Included on this page:
CAUTION ON THE INTERNET
Below is a story sent to me by a friend via email. The email message states that this story is
forwarded from "My Space." Whether this story actually happened is almost irrelevant. The
point is that it demonstrates a scenario that seems plausible. Share it with your children. Tell
them that It is great to trust, but to be careful and diligent in whom they place their trust.
Here is the story:
After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line. She logged on under her
screen name ByAngel213. She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an instant
message:
ByAngel213:
Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!
GoTo123:
LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you?
Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?
ByAngel213:
Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.
GoTo123:
Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done that have you?
ByAngel213:
Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.
GoTo123:
Did you have a softball game after school today?
ByAngel213:
Yes and we won!!
GoTo123:
That's great! Who did you play?
ByAngel213:
We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL
GoTo123:
What is your team called?
ByAngel213:
We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool.
GoTo1 23:
Did you pitch?
ByAngel213:
No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don't want
them mad at me. Bye!
GoTo123:
Catch you later. Bye
Meanwhile.......GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he
highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.
Her name: Shannon
Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985
Age: 13
State where she lived: North Carolina
Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall. Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton
because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her
parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team,
and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she
was in the eighth grade at the Canton Junior High School . She had told him all this in the conversations they
had on- line. He had enough information to find her now.
Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ballpark that day. She didn't
want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always
overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had
brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.
By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her.
Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory
came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely.
He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn't look
scary and she quickly dismissed the sudden fear she had felt.
After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she
walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he
had found her.
Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks to Shannon 's home, and once he
saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car.
Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon 's house. He drove to
a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.
Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room.
"Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the
room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa.
"Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most interesting story about you."
Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!
"Do you know who I am, Shannon?" the man asked.
"No," Shannon answered.
"I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123."
Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's 14. And he lives in Michigan!"
The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You see, Shannon , there are people on-line
who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to injure kids and hurt them, I belong to a
group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how
dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you.
You named the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and
name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze."
Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan?"
He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?"
She nodded.
"I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as lucky. The guy found her and murdered her
while she was home alone. Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time
on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know
it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you've
learned a lesson from this and won't do it again. Tell others about this so they will be safe too?"
"It''s a promise!"
That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and thanked God for protecting Shannon
from what could have been a tragic situation.
End of story. Food for thought, don't you think!
TEN CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION TIPS
Keep in mind, child abductors usually target their victims ahead of time and seek children who travel alone or
seem to be alienated from their peers. Often, they observe playgrounds and other public places to select a
victim.
SEVEN SAFETY RULES FOR YOUR CHILD TO FOLLOW
Your child should repeat the follow:
I promise . . .
- CAUTION ON THE INTERNET
- TEN CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION TIPS
- SEVEN SAFETY RULES FOR YOUR CHILD TO FOLLOW
CAUTION ON THE INTERNET
Below is a story sent to me by a friend via email. The email message states that this story is
forwarded from "My Space." Whether this story actually happened is almost irrelevant. The
point is that it demonstrates a scenario that seems plausible. Share it with your children. Tell
them that It is great to trust, but to be careful and diligent in whom they place their trust.
Here is the story:
After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line. She logged on under her
screen name ByAngel213. She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an instant
message:
ByAngel213:
Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!
GoTo123:
LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you?
Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?
ByAngel213:
Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.
GoTo123:
Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done that have you?
ByAngel213:
Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.
GoTo123:
Did you have a softball game after school today?
ByAngel213:
Yes and we won!!
GoTo123:
That's great! Who did you play?
ByAngel213:
We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL
GoTo123:
What is your team called?
ByAngel213:
We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool.
GoTo1 23:
Did you pitch?
ByAngel213:
No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don't want
them mad at me. Bye!
GoTo123:
Catch you later. Bye
Meanwhile.......GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he
highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.
Her name: Shannon
Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985
Age: 13
State where she lived: North Carolina
Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall. Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton
because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her
parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team,
and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she
was in the eighth grade at the Canton Junior High School . She had told him all this in the conversations they
had on- line. He had enough information to find her now.
Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ballpark that day. She didn't
want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always
overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had
brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.
By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her.
Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory
came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely.
He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn't look
scary and she quickly dismissed the sudden fear she had felt.
After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she
walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he
had found her.
Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks to Shannon 's home, and once he
saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car.
Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon 's house. He drove to
a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.
Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room.
"Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the
room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa.
"Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most interesting story about you."
Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!
"Do you know who I am, Shannon?" the man asked.
"No," Shannon answered.
"I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123."
Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's 14. And he lives in Michigan!"
The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You see, Shannon , there are people on-line
who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to injure kids and hurt them, I belong to a
group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how
dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you.
You named the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and
name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze."
Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan?"
He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?"
She nodded.
"I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as lucky. The guy found her and murdered her
while she was home alone. Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time
on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know
it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you've
learned a lesson from this and won't do it again. Tell others about this so they will be safe too?"
"It''s a promise!"
That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and thanked God for protecting Shannon
from what could have been a tragic situation.
End of story. Food for thought, don't you think!
TEN CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION TIPS
- Teach your child your address and phone number, including the area code. Instruct your child on
telephone use for calling home, the police department, and in an emergency, 911. - Keep an up-to-date file on your child, which includes a photograph and physical description. If you
child is under two years of age you should update the information at least four time a year. To
arrange to fingerprint your child, call your local police department. - Pay close attention to the clothing your child is wearing each day and never display your child's
name on his/her clothes, book bags, or books. Children will often respond to strangers who call
them by name. - Make sure your child knows what to do should you become separated in a public place. Your child
should immediately report to a facility employee and should not attempt to search for you. - Select a secret code word that only you and your child know. Tell your child never to go with
anyone who does not know this code. - Keep a set of your child's footprints, fingerprints, and dental records.
- Leave instructions with your child's school to notify you immediately if your child is absent and
provide them with written information on persons authorized to pick your child up after school. - Educate your children on many tactics used by abductors to lure them away. Teach them to
immediately leave the area if an adult stranger is present. If your child is grabbed, instruct your child
to yell "Fire" as loud as he can. People are more likely to respond to shouts of "fire" and "help." Drill
into your child that it is OK to drop books bags to run from a strangers who makes your child feel
fearful. - Survey the recreation and school routes used by your child. Point out any dangerous areas such as
vacant lots, alleyways, busy streets, etc. Teach your child what to do if he/she is being followed. - Join or organize a "safe home" program with your neighbors to establish secure homes where your
child can go for help.
Keep in mind, child abductors usually target their victims ahead of time and seek children who travel alone or
seem to be alienated from their peers. Often, they observe playgrounds and other public places to select a
victim.
SEVEN SAFETY RULES FOR YOUR CHILD TO FOLLOW
Your child should repeat the follow:
I promise . . .
- Before I go anywhere, I will check with my parents or the person in charge first, to tell them where
I'm going, how I'm getting there, who's going with me, and when I'm coming back. - I will get permission from my parents before getting into a car or leaving with anyone, including
people I know. I will not change my plans or accept money or gifts without telling my parents. If
someone offers me drugs, I will tell a grown up immediately. - I will use the "buddy" system whenever possible and will avoid playing or going places by myself.
- I will not keep it a secret if a anyone touches me in a way that makes me feel confused, but will tell a
grown up I trust. Also, I won't feel guilty if it happens because it's not my fault. - I will trust my feelings and will share them with grown ups I trust. They care about me and I'm not
alone. - If I feel unsafe, I will never give up and will continue asking for help until I get it.
- I will keep myself safe because I'm a special person who deserves it.
| Women's Safety Information That's NOT Just for Women Only! |
For crime prevention tips,
click on one of these links.
click on one of these links.
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
Copyright© 2008 WPSN