Over the past fifty years we have seen the world become increasingly unsafe especially for young people. From child molesters, sex predators, Internet stalkers, kids with guns, body snatchers, slave trading and other nefarious acts perpetrated against young people. Kids as well as their parents need to be more vigilant about their surroundings. Very often simple clues that could go unnoticed have helped communities to circumvent criminal activities and often assist police in solving such crimes.
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In retrospect, the school rampage at Virginia Tech and the shootings at Dawson College in Montreal could have been nipped in the bud had people who noticed some of the irregular behaviors of the perpetrators that preceded the incidents, promptly reported what they noticed.
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Teens need the most help, because teenage girls are the highest-risk group for sexual abuse and stranger abduction. Toddlers are also at risk of predators because of their innocence. Young children who frequent the Internet unsupervised run the risk of being seduced and abused.
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One does not need to be over protective. There are some simple rules we can adopt. Don’t be afraid to use your cell phones to report unusual incidents you may notice. It is better to be safe than sorry. In many countries there are special telephone numbers you can call. More children today carry cell phones. There is a setting on most cell phones called Location. Set it to ‘ON’ and the person carrying the cell phone can be located wherever the phone is. There are small alarm devices that fit into pockets and can be easily turned on and off without drawing attention.
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Kids in school are being advised to report unusual incidents. Often it is a pain to have to deal with these minor reports. Firemen routinely deal with this every day as they respond to false alarms. But they know it is far better to do so than ignore the warnings. To protect our kids in schools we owe it to them to address every incident regardless of how minor we may think it is. We may not be able to change the Marc Lepine’s or the Cho Seung-Hui’s in our schools but we can raise some of the early warning signs that always precede such incidents.
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As for parents, develop the rapport with your kids to always notify you of where they are. If plans change, the rule should be to report in. If they do not have a cell phone make sure they have a few extra quarters to use a public phone. Reprimand them if they slip up even once in a while. It is that one incident that they don’t report in that could determine their fate!
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Last but not least, criminals are using cell phones quite effectively to communicate and coordinate their activities. While these may be difficult to detect with so many people on their cell phones, often there are tell tale signs. Develop the habit to sift out the ordinary from the extra-ordinary. Teach your kids of what they should be on the lookout for. Always be vigilant and take action when you deem necessary. After all it could happen to you!
Develop the habit to observe wht’s happening around you. It will become instinctive. It may not always show immediate results. But vigilance pays off handsomely sooner or later.