Fact: Over 60,000 children are reported missing in Canada every year and nearly 900,000 missing children case reports are filed annually in the United States.
No matter what country you live in - across the border or across the seas - your child is at risk. So much so that one missing children recovery expert is now calling the rise of missing children cases an epidemic.
"If any other segment of our population were so impacted, we would declare an epidemic: the center for disease control would fund a cure; we would pass and enforce legislation and we would increase private and public security." (KlassKids Foundation)
Understanding the Numbers, Recovery Attempts and Risk Factors
Prevention is often the best medicine for any epidemic (be it sickness or the rise of missing children cases), but since a large percentage of child abductions are carried out by family members, both prevention and correction prove difficult. In this case 'correction' is safe recovery of the child and the stakes are high.
If a child has gone missing, a parent or custodian's greatest hopes lie in fast action and public awareness through published photos and media attention. The NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) report that one out of six children featured in photo campaigns are found as a direct result of the photo being published and public awareness.
Abduction Risk Factors
Although this article's focus is on missing children in Canada, Canadian statistics cite 20% of cases as 'unknown' or 'other'. We find more clues in the United States Department of Justice report: nearly half of missing children cases are the result of a parental (or familial) abduction. Given the similarities between our countries, it is safe to assume that the statistics, and cited perpetrators, are also similar.
One report of note from Canada however is the an extensive report of Parental Abduction of Children (2006). (You'll find the Executive Summary here: http://www.ourmissingchildren.gc.ca/omc/publications/parent_e.htm)
Within that report an entire section is dedicated to a 'profiling' of a parent's characteristics generally associated with abduction cases. Such profiling studies are often used to help law enforcement officers to solve crimes. A list of key considerations and characteristics follow.
Reporting time lapse: Most missing children cases are reported to the police on the day the abduction occurred. However many are delayed in reporting or acting on the missing child report.
Recovery time: The majority of parental abductions are short-term and resolved within seven days. In cases where the mother abducted the child the child is usually kept longer time than if the act were of a father.
Abduction details: In most cases, children tend to be taken from the home during weekends or school holidays. Accomplices are used in less than half of all cases.
Parental profile: The profiled age range of the parent is 28-40 years. The majority of missing children abducted by those parents are between 3-7 years of age. Both mothers and fathers are equally likely to abduct their own child - although mothers are more likely to perform the act after a court order is made and fathers tend to abduct their child before the court order has been ruled.
Missing child profile: Both male and female children are equally likely to be abducted.
Such was the case with a young Canadian boy reported missing in December 2001 at 4 years of age. His name is Valor Howell (aka Taylor) and it is suspected he is with his birth mother. Valor's profile, case number and a variety of informative resources can be found here: http://www.squidoo.com/missingchild
Knowledge, foresight and education is power. Understanding profiling, knowing the steps to take if your child is at risk and/or abducted, and quick public awareness of a missing child is crucial to recover more American and Canadian children to their legal guardians or parents.
