Tween Girls Most at Risk for Child Abduction

As we prepare to send our tweens back to school, a sobering new study was released last month by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that finds that tween girls are the most at risk for abduction by a stranger.

Thirty-seven percent of stranger abduction occur between 2-7pm during the week (in other words, just as tweens are walking home from school or to activities), and sixty-eight percent of abductions involve a vehicle. Most tweens were approached by someone in a vehicle, often offering a ride. Other offenders lured kids with sweets or money or with an animal or a story about finding a lost animal. Some asked for directions.

The study authors are quick to point out that their intention is not to scare, but to educate both parents and children about the need to be safe as we all prepare for back to school. NCMEC found that:

• 38% of attempted abductions occur while a child is walking alone to or from school, riding the school bus or riding a bicycle;
• 37% of attempted abductions occur between the hours of 2:00 PM through 7:00 PM on a weekday;
• 43% of attempted abductions involve children between the ages of 10 and 14;
• 72% of attempted abduction victims are female;
• 68% of attempted abductions involve the suspect driving a vehicle.

The silver lining? The study hows that kids are their own best protectors. "They escaped these things not through the efforts of good Samaritans, but through recognizing a bad situation and either getting away from it, avoiding it, or screaming and kicking to draw attention," said Ernie Allen, President of NCMEC. "The child should do whatever is necessary to stay out of the car, because once the child is in that car, it dramatically reduces the chances of escape," Allen says.

Every parent's nightmare scenario of their child being snatched tragically occurs every 40 seconds in the U.S., and 800,000 children are reported missing every year.

Sobering facts to ponder this back-to-school season - stay safe.

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