IN the wake of recent abductions, Fidelity ADT has issued a general alert to all residents, urging parents to empower their children, teenagers and varsity-going young adults with all the information necessary to respond to any crisis or act of criminality.
“As parents and guardians, it is our responsibility to not only educate our children about safety but to also give them the necessary tools to deal with a crisis. While we certainly don’t want to live in fear, we do need to have frank conversations about what to do when things go wrong,” explained Charnel Hattingh, national communications and marketing manager at Fidelity ADT.
Hattingh said there are simple actions which can often keep a child or young adult safe. She said parents should teach their children that they must always walk to or from school with a friend or friends, stick to streets they know and never to walk with cellphones and iPads in full view.
“If they get picked up at school, they should never leave the premises but always wait inside the school grounds for their lift to arrive. Younger children particularly must never get into a stranger’s car. Remind them that you would never send someone they don’t know to fetch them. Consider using a password system, so if the person collecting the child from school cannot repeat the password, they should not get into the car but immediately ask for help,” she said.
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Hattingh said if a stranger approaches your child, they should not talk to them, and if someone tries to grab them, they need to fight, kick and shout.
“If your child does encounter any suspicious activity, encourage them to get a good look and memorise their physical details and clothing, as well as the vehicle they are in. Make sure your children memorise their full names, address and phone number. If they are older they should have some emergency numbers programmed into their phone or consider having a safety App on their phone,” she said.
Older children should be reminded to keep their valuables out of sight at all times and not to use headphones because this will dampen their ability to sense their surroundings.
“If they are walking home or to public transport they need to alter their route. If using a taxi service, ensure it is a bona fide service provider,” she said.
Hattingh said older children and students must be extra cautious when meeting anyone who befriends them on social media – they should always meet in a public space with two or three friends as backup. She said they should be cautious to not be lured by people offering a job or modelling contract.
“Quite simply, the same rules that apply to adults need to be instilled in children and young adults and if someone cannot be found, it is vital to report this to the authorities immediately,” she said.
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