Learning from Elizabeth Shoaf

It's every parent's worst nightmare: Your child leaves school for a short walk home and never makes it. That terrifying scenario actually happened to the parents of Elizabeth Shoaf. Shoaf was abducted 17 months ago by a man dressed as a law enforcement official. The suspect handcuffed her and drug her down to an underground bunker, where she was stripped of her clothes and left chained. Over a period of ten days, she was repeatedly raped. Elizabeth Shoaf was able to escape captivity by convincing the suspect to allow her to play games on his cell phone as he slept. She then sent text messages to her mother detailing her location.

Elizabeth Shoaf's case had a happy ending, but she is still haunted by what happened to her. Not every abducted child is as lucky. While there is always some degree of risk whenever a child is allowed to walk to and from a location, there are some things that children and their parents can do to lessen the risk of abduction.

If at all possible, children should always walk with a buddy. The more children that walk together, the less chance that any of the children will be abducted. Predators look for the easiest victim. A group of children makes a less appealing target because they are more likely to draw attention to any problems. It will also be impossible for the abductor to grab all of the children, leading him to leave witnesses behind.

Children should always be aware of their surroundings. Cell phones should be stored in pockets and iPods and mp3 players should be stowed in a backpack. If a child is distracted by talking on a cell phone or by listening to music at loud volumes, they make an easier target for a potential predator. They will likely not see or hear anyone approaching, giving them little time to react or fight back.

Children should also stick to well-traveled paths. Short cuts are often sparsely populated and make it easier for a potential abductor to kidnap a child with no witnesses. Sticking to heavily populated routes reduces the window of opportunity that many predators look for.

There should be no identifying information on a child's clothing that will allow a predator to know a child's name. Young children instinctively trust people who call them by name. Having a personalize backpack of t-shirt may look cute, but it can put a child at risk of a savvy predator.

Girls with long hair should avoid ponytails or any hairstyle that could be used as a handle by a predator. Rapists and other predators look for anything to give them an edge, whether it is a ponytail or braid or clothing with easily accessible straps.

Walking home from school gives children the opportunity to get fresh air and exercise, but it can put them at risk, but as long as they are aware of their surroundings and follow a few tips they can make the trip safely.

More information: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23518089/