Children of every age, gender and race may be vulnerable to child abduction. Parents can be crucial in helping prevent child abduction by teaching children about personal safety. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children recommends the following to help prevent child abduction:

• Set boundaries regarding the places a child may go, people they may see and things they may do.
  
  
• Reinforce the importance of the “buddy system.” There is safety in numbers. An abductor is less likely to target a child who is surrounded by various other children as opposed to one who is alone.
  
  
• Teach children that it is OK to say “NO” and trust their instincts.
  
  
• Know where the child is at all times.
  
  
• Ensure that the child checks in with you if there is a change in plans.
  
  
• Teach young children that adults should not approach children for help or directions. Instruct the child that if they are approached by an adult, they should stay alert because this may be a “trick.”
  
  
• Walk the route to and from school with your children, pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they are being followed or need help. It may help to draw a map showing acceptable routes to school, using main roads and avoiding shortcuts or isolated areas. If the child takes the bus, visit the bus stop with them and make sure they know which bus to take.  
  
  
• Know your neighborhood. This can be done by interacting regularly with the neighbors. Let the child know whose homes they are allowed to visit.
  
  
• Do not drop off children alone at malls, movie theaters, video arcades, parks or other public places.
  
  
• Let children know that they should never go anywhere with anyone without getting your permission first.
  
  
• Know your (home) employees. Do background screening and reference checks on everyone who works at your home, particularly those individuals who care for your children (e.g., nannies, babysitters). Their knowledge of your family is extensive so make sure you have an equivalent understanding of who they are.
  
  
• Talk openly to children about safety and encourage them to tell you or another trusted adult if anyone or anything makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or confused.

In addition, while the Internet can be a great learning tool for children, it also can expose them to material that is age-inappropriate (e.g., porn) as well as online sex-offenders. Parents should become aware of the Internet sites (including chat rooms and other live electronic communications) their child frequents as well as monitor their child’s e-mail. Computer sex-offenders almost always meet potential victims via chat rooms. Make children aware, especially younger ones, that people online may not be who they say they are. For instance, someone who says that “she” is a 12-year-old girl could actually be an older man.

Many Internet service providers offer parental controls and/or blocking software to deny access to children to designated or unrecognized Web sites. It may also help to keep the computer in a common room in the house (e.g., den), instead of the child’s bedroom. Most importantly, parents should communicate to their child about sexual victimization and potential online dangers.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigations recommends parents and other caring adults be on the lookout for the following signs, which can indicate a child is at risk online:

• Spends large amounts of time online, especially at night.
  
  
• There is pornography on his or her computer.
  
  
• Receives phone calls from men you do not know or is making calls, sometimes long distance, to numbers you do not recognize.
  
  
• Receives mail, gifts or packages from a stranger.
  
  
• Becomes withdrawn from the family.
  
  
• Uses an online account belonging to someone else (online sex-offenders will sometimes provide potential victims with a computer account for communications with them).