Crime is a reality in South Africa and equipping your children with essential safety information will help them to pre-empt and appropriately handle any danger they may find themselves in. This year’s Child Protection Week – commemorated between 28 May and 4 June – brings with it an opportunity for parents to empower their children with the required tools to guide them in case of an emergency.
“The purpose of creating this awareness is not to create a sense of fear, but rather to teach and reinforce practical safety tips that will guide your child’s actions. While parents and guardians hope their youngsters never find themselves in a dangerous situation, it is always best to make sure they are prepared,” says Charnel Hattingh, Fidelity ADT’s national marketing and communications manager.
A child’s safety is a top priority for any parent and ensuring they are responsible is a necessity. “Information teaching them not to engage or leave their school’s premises with any strangers, especially overfriendly individuals, is the golden rule but is just one of many important rules to convey,” said Hattingh.
Children waiting to be fetched after school should also remember to stay within the school’s premises. If they usually walk home, parents should advise their children to walk in a group. Some communities have started ‘walking buses’, where adults walk with a group of children on their way to or from school as an added safety and security element.
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“If they are unable to stay in a group on their way home, advise them to stick to familiar roads and avoid quiet side roads, alleys or fields. Children who are alone at home in the afternoons, should understand why not to open the door for strangers and have the necessary emergency numbers in close proximity to the home phone or pre-programmed on their mobile phones,” advised Hattingh.
These practical tips are useful for children and adults alike and should be kept simple enough to remember in times of crisis:
- You must make it clear that you are not a threat to them. With the exception of a life-and-death situation, fighting back must be avoided and any material possessions readily given over. Your life is more valuable than a cellphone.
- If you are in trouble or someone is trying to kidnap you, make a noise and draw attention. Scream “no!” and try to get away.
- Get as many details about the criminal as possible. Encourage children to make quick observations without staring at the perpetrator or coming across as defiant.
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“Any characteristics that could help with the identification of a suspect, such as visible scars, noticeable accents and tattoos, and their outfit, will help with future investigations to apprehend them. These tips are fundamental for all children whether parents are at home or at work. Teaching your children how to avoid and handle themselves in dangerous situations is one of the best things you can do,” concluded Hattingh.
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