Protests over union contracts. Riots at the Townhouses. Sexual assaults. The head of a decapitated goat being found in a sink. With all that goes on here on campus, it is easy to forget about the rest of the world. Those of us at college seem to have enough of our own problems. Lately though, a disturbing trend has been growing in the commonwealth that threatens those who are our most innocent.
Three times in the past week there have been attempted child abductions in Massachusetts. On Thursday, Sept. 20, a Southborough boy and girl were approached by a man in his car, in separate incidents, while they were waiting for the school bus. The girl was with her grandmother, who declined the man’s offer to drive her granddaughter to school. Approximately fifteen minutes later, the boy was approached by a man in his car asking for directions. The boy gave him the information and was then asked by the man to come in the car to show him exactly where to go. When the boy declined, he ran on foot until he found safe haven.
Police have determined through descriptions, that both attempts were by the same man.
This past Wednesday, a four-year-old girl and her two-year-old nephew were playing on the front steps of her Auburn home. A man pulled up in front of the house and asked her to come into the car to pet his dog. When she screamed no, her 21-year-old sister came outside as the car sped away.
Both these instances bring to light some serious reminders to parents and caretakers everywhere. The world is a scary place, and not just in far off countries or the big cities. Bad things happen in small towns all the time, often because these are the most unsuspecting places.
There are some simple things that parents can do to try to prevent tragedies. The most important thing is to talk with your children about strangers and make sure that they know how to respond. The children previously mentioned obviously had been trained well. If approached by a stranger, the best advice is to run away as quickly as possible, and also alert the attention of others. Make sure your children know to never get in a stranger’s car or to stay in a public place.
Aside from teaching children, there are other ways parents can make things safer. With children as young as four, there is no reason that they should be playing a front yard alone. Likewise, with a fourth grader, as the boy in Southborough was, it is tricky ground. Obviously children want to grow up, but parents must also understand that children still need supervision. With a group of friends, the child is likely to be in less danger than if s/he was waiting at the bus stop alone.
Massachusetts’ AMBER Alert System, or America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response, goes into effect on Tuesday. The system, already in place in 41 states, will utilize highway signs as well as radio and television broadcasts to alert the public about recently abducted children. Such a system will be a great aid to police, but we must always remember that the best protection plan is to teach our children how to avoid abductions in the first place.
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of The Collegian editorial board.
Information from www.thebostonchannel.com was used in this story.