I was going to do a post on 9/11 today - but for the moment something else is more prominent in my mind.
That might sound strange or even selfish, because how could something be bigger in my head than 9/11 and how it changed all our lives.
Well, as much as it pains and scares me to admit, child abduction has become a prominent feature in our local paper and it scares the hell out of me.
In the past week, 5 reports have been made of attempted child abduction. While one has been proven a hoax (and why the hell you'd fake something like that, I don't know!) the others bother me. Deeply.
The police have released sketches of the 3 suspects:
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| Police have released these Comfit images of men wanted for questioning over recent abduction attempts. Image Credit |
Now, we've been robbed this year and it made me furious that strangers could make us feel so unsafe in our own home. Needless to say we've made changes to our home that will make it interesting for them to try again.
But to have this happening, where we now have out gate padlocked even when we're home and where I don't feel comfortable for our daughter to play in OUR OWN YARD makes me so angry, and so frightened, I could explode.
I now question whether to take the Toddler to the park. She loves it - loves to run around and play. But even knowing I'm there and watching her like a hawk doesn't make it feel safer. Every male adult, in my mind, is a potential predator and I loathe feeling that way - because a week ago I didn't.
I don't want our daughter to grow up in a bubble, or locked behind a fence at home because there are disgusting pigs out there who want to snatch a child.
The NT has the highest per-capita police force in the country, and yet this doesn't offer any comfort. Maybe previous experience has me jaded in that they can't even track down home invaders, so how can I expect them to offer any protection for our family, or any family, against something so much bigger?
It makes me sick, angry, scared and over-protective. This is not something I thought we would ever have to worry about - and yet here we are.
It's disturbing.
Parents, please sit down with your children and cover the 'Four Rs':
- Recognise the danger
- Refuse any offer
- Run away
- Report it to the first person they feel safe with
For more information on child protection visit
http://www.napcan.org.au/ or your State or Territory Police website, as listed below:
If you witness suspicious behaviour near schools, bus stops, parks or any public place near children, please contact the following numbers in your State or Territory:
- NT, SA, NSW, WA and Tasmania: Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
- Victoria: Contact your local police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Remember: In an emergency, call 000.
If you have any information on the attempted abductions please contact NT Police on 131 444
