Facts and Statistics
- About 800,000 children are reported missing every year in the US. That's nearly 2200 every day. About a quarter of those are abducted by family members. Approximately 58,000 are abducted by non-family members, usually for sexual purposes. Fortunately, only about 115 of those are killed, kidnapped for ransom, or taken with the intention of keeping the child, but if your child is one of them, one is a huge number!
- Time is critical! In 76 percent of child-abduction homicides, the murder of the child occurs within the first three hours. In all cases of missing children, the chance of recovery is significantly improved and the time to recover the child is shortened the quicker a search is begun. That is the whole principle of the Amber Alert system.
- One in 7 children who are regular Internet users receive sexual solicitations online, 1 in 3 is exposed to unwanted sexual material, and 1 in 25 receives a request to meet someone in real life that they met online.
- Teaching children about safety works. Children escape attempted abductions 83 percent of the time through their own actions; 32 percent actively resisted by yelling, kicking, pulling away, running away, or attracting attention; and 51 percent recognized something was not right and responded by walking or running away.
- Teenagers, 12-19, especially girls, are the most victimized segment of the population in the United States. Of abducted children reported missing in 1999, 44% were 15 to 17 years old, 30% were 12 to 14 years old, 14% were 6 to 11 years old, and 12% were 5 years old or younger. As children get older, they are more likely to move outside their parents' direct supervision and are consequently more vulnerable. Teens are also more likely to engage in risky behavior.
Source: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
