For those of you who didn’t know, June is National Safety Month. There are a lot of months dedicated to different causes in order to raise awareness about different issues, but our kids are our whole heart, the love we have for them is indescribable. So being paranoid about their safety is completely normal. Sure, all those stories on the evening news are freak accidents that occur in very rare situations, but worrying is second nature to moms.
That’s why keeping yourself informed about the dangers of the world is so important. Simply knowing what’s going on and the odds of it happening to your child can ease your mind.
The kidnapping stories are horrifying and seem to be occurring more frequently each day. As much as parents do to keep their children safe, there are 800,000 children reported missing each year. However, there are some environments where children are at greater risk for kidnapping.
From restaurants to hotels to car dealerships, one study set out to locate exactly which locations are the most subject to kidnapping. The results might surprise you.
Kidnapping Happens the Most within the Home
Your home is supposed to be the place where you feel most safe and protected but it’s also the place where your child is at the highest risk of abduction. Though this likely varies significantly dependent on city and neighborhood, homes are the location of approximately 1.43 abductions each hour. But no need to instantly freak out and flee your home, odds of kidnapping within the home are still only one in over 26,000.
The best way to make sure your child never becomes one of those statistics? Stay alert and increase protection. With the advancement of technology, you can own some of the highest-tech security gadgets at a relatively affordable cost. Introduce tools such as motion sensors or video cameras so that your eyes aren’t the only ones responsible for your family’s safety.
It’s also notable that 49% of abductions are considered “family kidnapping” meaning that the perpetrator is someone related to you. You love and trust your family, so it’s hard to believe that this could be possible. But unfortunately, not all abductions are committed by random, villainous strangers as they are stereotypically depicted.
The Second Most Dangerous Location is Outside
The highway, road, alley, street or sidewalk is the second riskiest place for abduction. This should come as no surprise but we should engrain it into our children to never walk alone outside after dark, especially not down a deserted alley. But how prevalent is kidnapping in this setting? The odds of abduction in this location are significantly lower than within the home at one in over 120,000.
The Happiest Place on Earth is Also the Safest
Despite amusement parks being a location well-known for being populated with children, this is the safest location under study. Maybe it’s due to the high surveillance, large crowds, or steep price of admission, but it’s safe to say that kidnappers do not frequent roller coasters and carnival games. Odds of abduction here are one in over 325 million so you can rest easy on worrying about taking your kiddos on the vacation of their dreams.
This isn’t meant to instruct you to avoid places or heighten your fears and worries, obviously, you can’t avoid your home. What’s more important is knowing where you’re at risk and knowing what you can do to potentially avoid it so your little one can play on!
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