Re: Child Abducted
 

it worries me too........mine also are very blonde...very tanned....and gorgeous, and attract a lot of attention

yes they could be a target - it's just up to us as parents to ensure that they are not an easy one!

Re: Child Abducted
 

Provided that parents put in all of the right precautions to safeguard their children they will be able to ensure that even if their children are the sort that are targeted the abductors/abusers will have a problem in achieving their aims.

Rosemary

Re: Child Abducted
 

yet again complete common sense!

Re: Child Abducted
 

If the motive is sexual it is far more likely to be someone from your own family that abuses them, rather than a total stranger.

Much emphasis is on protecting children from strangers and yet ironically the danger rarely lies there. Main culprits? Step-fathers, or any step-male relations, uncles and grandparents. Oh, and vicars. Now why is that?

Child abductions by total strangers is incredibly rare. You are much more likely to win the lottery.

Re: Child Abducted
 

I agree with you totally, and I do hope I take sensible precautions for my children. Its just a sorry state to feel that your freedom and rights are compromised like this.

love

mary x x

Re: Child Abducted
 

I will bet that you protect your children effectively because you have sensibly thought about the fact that there are dangers out there. It is people that do not even think of the fact that the world is a dangerous place that do not adequately protect.

Keith is correct about the dangers of family members and that is the most scarey fact. We do tend to think that we can trust the family and therefore may put our kids in danger without realising it.

Rosemary

Re: Child Abducted
 

It´s a horrible truth. Your family are the people you would least expect to abuse your children, and they are the ones who are in the easiest position to do it. The child is much less likely to "tell" on uncle Jimmy because he/she knows that Uncle Jimmy is a dear and trusted member of the family and liked by all.

My OH used to work in this business years ago in the UK. She said that of all the children on the Child Protection Register there would be the odd one or two who had been abused by "outsiders" - perhaps a school teacher, youth leader, or member of the church (why?). But over 90% were always victims of their own families.

Disgusting.

Re: Child Abducted
 

Latest news:http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...270454,00.html

Fingers crossed they find nothing.

Re: Child Abducted
 

Children tend not to disclose about family members because they 'know' that mum, aunt, gran etc will not believe that 'mister wonderful uncle' would do such a thing. Families are often torn apart when a child does disclose and unfortunately the child then suffers even more and will feel guilty for disclosing.

Sad, sad situation.

Rosemary

Re: Child Abducted
 

I can remember Annie talking about a few cases where the child finally plucked up the courage to disclose that her father was abusing her, only to have the mother not believe her and then punish her for saying such awful lies about her husband.

It´s a lose, lose situation for some unfortunately.

Re: Child Abducted
 

Exactly, and that is why so many children do not disclose. They think that they will be blamed for what is occurring and lose sight of the fact that it is the adult that is in control and therefore it is the adult that is in the wrong. Kids tend to take on the responsibility for what is occurring even years later they think that they are to blame.

Rosemary

Re: Child Abducted
 

Notwithstanding this on-going discussion; can I just add the fact that we should all remember that women abuse children also?

Re: Child Abducted
 

Totally agree with you, Derbyflan. You only have to remember the likes of Rose West and Mira Hindley to name just a couple. There are some sick people out there male and female.

Re: Child Abducted
 

Ive just read an autobiography called "dont tell mummy" about a girl who got abused by her father all her childhood life. She did tell her mother but her mother loved her husband so much that she let it continue.

You are right, it is a lose lose situation.

Re: Child Abducted
 

Some women even stay with the abuser and put their children in care. This is a secondary abuse to the child. Women who sexually abuse are a rarity but unfortunately they do exist and this should not be forgotten.

A minefield of dilemmas for parents who are trying to bring up their children safely and want to encourage their children to gain confidence by having age appropriate experiences.

When trust is lost a child feels so insecure, hurt and above all alone.

Rosemary