Gopolang Chawane
Police issued tips to parents on child-safety after Rekord reported about five attempted abductions in public places in the city since the end of October.
This comes after the formation of the Keep Our Children Safe campaign by Rekord and stakeholders eBlockwatch, OrangeFox security, Bull Security, Moot crime prevention and the Sinoville CPF.
The latest attempted abduction was on Monday 9 November, in Pierre van Ryneveld in Centurion.
Police said children must know their full names, age, telephone number and address.
Children must know how to contact their parent, the police or another close relative in an emergency.
When children are alone at home, they should tell people who phone that you are there, but are busy and so cannot come to the phone.
Teach your child to end any telephone call with a stranger immediately and hang up the telephone if the stranger continues to talk.
When children are at home alone, they should find out the identity of the person who comes to the door, without opening the door.
If a stranger is at the door, teach your children to tell the stranger that you are busy and that he/she should go away and come back later.
Teach your child not to engage in conversation with the visitor. If the child feels threatened, teach him/her to phone an emergency number.
Emergency numbers could be your telephone number at work, the police’s or a trusted neighbour’s who can come to their aid immediately.
If it is at all possible, children should play and walk with other children.
Children should always ask your permission before accepting gifts from strangers.
In order to avoid situations where strangers may approach the child alone, such as an unsupervised play areas, empty parking lots, abandoned buildings, bushy areas of parks or riverbeds, children should run home or to the nearest public place or a friend’s home if someone is following or frightening him/her/them.
Children must know that adults, especially strangers, rarely ask children for help to find things or for directions. Explain to your child that men and women are strangers.
Children must know that if they become separated from you in a store or shopping mall, they must go to a store employee or cashier for help immediately.
You must know where your children are at all times. Know their friends and be clear with them about the places and homes they may visit.
Never leave children unattended in a vehicle, whether it is running or not.
Listen to your children. Pay attention if they tell you they do not want to be with someone or go somewhere.
Notice when anyone shows your child a great deal of attention or begins giving gifts. Ask your child about the person and find out why that person is behaving that way.
Teach your children that they have the right to refuse any unwelcome, uncomfortable or confusing touch or actions by others and get out of those situations as quickly as possible. If they cannot leave, children should be taught to kick, scream and resist by yelling loudly, “This person is not my father/mother/guardian” and then immediately tell you what happened.
Be sensitive to any changes in your children’s behaviour or attitude. Encourage open communication and learn how to be an active listener. If your children tell you about problems, try to stay calm, be reassuring, and non-judgmental. Work with them to get help to resolve the problem.
Practice basic safety skills with your children. Make an outing to a mall or park an educational experience in which your children practice checking with you, going to the bathroom with a friend and finding adults who may be able to help if they need assistance. Do not let your children wear clothing or carry items that bear their names in public. It makes it too easy for a stranger to approach them.
Develop code words for anyone you trust to fetch your children and teach your children the words. Tell them not to go with anyone who does not know the code words.
Central police spokesperson Captain Augustinah Selepe said any child found walking alone at a shopping mall should be taken to the centre management office by the security officer on duty until the parents of the child or children are found.
“It is extremely important for people who witness any child who may seem lost to immediately report that as this might be the call that saves that child’s life,” said Selepe.
Also read:
Keep your children safe in Pretoria
CPFs unite against child abductions
Rekord’s #keepPTAkidssafe kicks off
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