On Monday, March 18, 2013, Durham Regional Police Service was alerted to an alleged attempt abduction of a 10-year-old-girl. Click here for DRPS news release.
The Toronto Police Service would like to make all parents aware of the DRPS' ongoing investigation.
Children are vulnerable members of our society and, as such, they need to be protected. The Toronto Police Service would like to offer some safety tips for parents and children to help protect children from these types of situations.
Children are exposed to strangers every day in their normal activities. These activities could be in their neighbourhoods, in the playground, on their way to and from school, or indoors in such places as shopping malls. Most of these strangers are not a danger but a few could be. Parents can protect their children from dangerous strangers by street-proofing their children by teaching them how to identify dangerous or suspicious behaviour, and by giving children tips that they can use to protect themselves when they are on their own.
Who is a stranger?
A stranger is someone your family doesn't know, or doesn't know well. Children may have the misconception that strangers or bad people look scary like the evil characters in television shows or cartoons. This is absolutely not always the case. There is no common "look" that these individuals have. They could be a man or a woman, adult or youth. They could even be well-dressed or "pretty." Regardless of how a person looks, they could be dangerous.
When you talk to your children about strangers, explain that you cannot tell if a stranger is a nice person or not just by looking at them and that they need to be careful around all strangers.
As parents, we cannot make it appear that all strangers are bad. If children need help whether they are lost, injured, being threatened by someone, or being followed by a stranger, the safest thing for them to do is to ask a stranger for help. Parents can make it easier for children by showing them which strangers are okay to trust.
Who are safe strangers?
Safe strangers are people children can ask for help when they need it. Police officers, firefighters and paramedics are a few examples of very recognizable safe strangers.
Teachers, principals, and librarians are adults children can trust too, and they are easy to recognize when they're at work. A safe stranger can be an adult who is already with children. But make sure that you remind your children that, when possible, they should go to a public place to ask for help.
Also show your children places they can go if they need help, such as local stores and restaurants and the homes of family friends in your neighborhood.
Recognizing and handling dangerous situations
By teaching your children to be aware of dangerous situations or scenarios, they will be able to deal with these situations should they arise. Some of these situations could involve strangers as well as known adults/youths who may have bad intentions.
A few of the situations that could occur are:
- someone asks a child to disobey their parents or do something without their permission
- someone asks a child to keep a secret
- someone asks a child for help
- someone makes the child feel uncomfortable in any way
Normally, adults should never be asking a child for help. If one does, teach your children to find an adult whom they trust right away and tell them what happened.
Children should also know how to handle a dangerous situation
One way is to teach them say "no," and to run away and find an adult they trust and tell them what happened. Remind your children it is okay to say "no," and to yell to keep themselves safe, even if they are indoors.
Here are a few possible scenarios:
- someone asks for help finding a lost pet
- someone asks a child to come into their house for a snack
- someone tells your child they are there to give them a ride home
- someone your child knows does something to make them feel uncomfortable
- while walking home, someone in a car asks for direction or offers them candy
What parents can do
- know where your children are
- ensure your children ask for permission before they go anywhere
- make sure your child knows safe paths to take and places they can go if they are in trouble
- teach them to trust their instincts
- remind your children that you will help them when they need it
- teach your children it is okay to say "no," to a stranger or when they are asked to do something they are uncomfortable with
- encourage your children to travel in groups; there's safety in numbers
- if your children have cell phones, remind them that it is okay to call 9-1-1 when they believe they are in danger
- establish a "secret password" with your children so they know whoever has it can be trusted
Remember it is always better to be safe than sorry.
The Toronto Police Service would like to make all parents aware of the DRPS' ongoing investigation.
Children are vulnerable members of our society and, as such, they need to be protected. The Toronto Police Service would like to offer some safety tips for parents and children to help protect children from these types of situations.
Children are exposed to strangers every day in their normal activities. These activities could be in their neighbourhoods, in the playground, on their way to and from school, or indoors in such places as shopping malls. Most of these strangers are not a danger but a few could be. Parents can protect their children from dangerous strangers by street-proofing their children by teaching them how to identify dangerous or suspicious behaviour, and by giving children tips that they can use to protect themselves when they are on their own.
Who is a stranger?
A stranger is someone your family doesn't know, or doesn't know well. Children may have the misconception that strangers or bad people look scary like the evil characters in television shows or cartoons. This is absolutely not always the case. There is no common "look" that these individuals have. They could be a man or a woman, adult or youth. They could even be well-dressed or "pretty." Regardless of how a person looks, they could be dangerous.
When you talk to your children about strangers, explain that you cannot tell if a stranger is a nice person or not just by looking at them and that they need to be careful around all strangers.
As parents, we cannot make it appear that all strangers are bad. If children need help whether they are lost, injured, being threatened by someone, or being followed by a stranger, the safest thing for them to do is to ask a stranger for help. Parents can make it easier for children by showing them which strangers are okay to trust.
Who are safe strangers?
Safe strangers are people children can ask for help when they need it. Police officers, firefighters and paramedics are a few examples of very recognizable safe strangers.
Teachers, principals, and librarians are adults children can trust too, and they are easy to recognize when they're at work. A safe stranger can be an adult who is already with children. But make sure that you remind your children that, when possible, they should go to a public place to ask for help.
Also show your children places they can go if they need help, such as local stores and restaurants and the homes of family friends in your neighborhood.
Recognizing and handling dangerous situations
By teaching your children to be aware of dangerous situations or scenarios, they will be able to deal with these situations should they arise. Some of these situations could involve strangers as well as known adults/youths who may have bad intentions.
A few of the situations that could occur are:
- someone asks a child to disobey their parents or do something without their permission
- someone asks a child to keep a secret
- someone asks a child for help
- someone makes the child feel uncomfortable in any way
Normally, adults should never be asking a child for help. If one does, teach your children to find an adult whom they trust right away and tell them what happened.
Children should also know how to handle a dangerous situation
One way is to teach them say "no," and to run away and find an adult they trust and tell them what happened. Remind your children it is okay to say "no," and to yell to keep themselves safe, even if they are indoors.
Here are a few possible scenarios:
- someone asks for help finding a lost pet
- someone asks a child to come into their house for a snack
- someone tells your child they are there to give them a ride home
- someone your child knows does something to make them feel uncomfortable
- while walking home, someone in a car asks for direction or offers them candy
What parents can do
- know where your children are
- ensure your children ask for permission before they go anywhere
- make sure your child knows safe paths to take and places they can go if they are in trouble
- teach them to trust their instincts
- remind your children that you will help them when they need it
- teach your children it is okay to say "no," to a stranger or when they are asked to do something they are uncomfortable with
- encourage your children to travel in groups; there's safety in numbers
- if your children have cell phones, remind them that it is okay to call 9-1-1 when they believe they are in danger
- establish a "secret password" with your children so they know whoever has it can be trusted
Remember it is always better to be safe than sorry.