Did you know that...

Teenagers, 12-19, especially girls, are the most victimized segment of the population in the United States. Everybody thinks it only happens to little kids. It happens to you and your friends and kids you know at school. Sometimes it happens and nobody finds out because no one talks about it. If it happens to you, talk about it with an adult you trust.

WHAT is IT?
Did you know that adults who abduct and molest kids mainly do it for two reasons? Control and sex. And you may have already figured out that some people you know, adults and even guys your own age, could be interested in you for the same thing.

Laura Smither - Friendswood, Texas
Laura Smither was a bright, loving 12-year-old who trusted her friends. She was cautious about strangers and new situations. She was smart and aware of her surroundings, which made her kidnapping unthinkable to her friends. She lived in a small town where everyone knew each other. Crime is often like that - we always think that it happens somewhere else. After Laura's abduction, several of her friends told her parents, "If this could happen to Laura, of all people, it could happen to anyone. I could happen to me!"

One April 3, 1997, as her mom was making breakfast, Laura went out alone for a quick job in her rural neighborhood. She never returned. A massive local, regional and national search was conducted for her. Laura's remains were found 17 days later about 20 miles from her home.

What can we learn from Laura's story? She was wise and careful and, like her friends, she thought that she was safe in her own hometown. That's the way we all want to grow up, but we have to KNOW THE RULES.  

RULE 1
DON'T GO OUT ALONE
There is safety in numbers and this rule isn't just for little kids, it applies to everyone. We are always safer if we take a friend, sister or brother.

THINK ABOUT IT before you go. Remember that if you can avoid situations that put you at risk in the first place, you're already one step ahead. 

Marie de Los Angeles Martinez - Phoenix, Arizona
Marie Martinez was 17 years old in 1990 when she decided she wanted to earn some extra money. So, she advertised over a local radio station in Phoenix for a babysitting job. A man responded to her ad, came to pick her up one morning, and she has not been seen since.

Not long after the man picked Maria up, she made a nervous telephone call to her parents asking them to come and get her, but before she could give them the address, the telephone was disconnected. Again, THINK ABOUT IT. Never, ever go somewhere with someone you don't know. This includes babysitting for anyone without getting information about the family. Leave a telephone number and an address with your family BEFORE you go.

Summer Nix - Spartanburg, South Carolina
Thirteen-year-old Summer started surfing the internet in May of 1996 with a 15-year-old girlfriend. When her friend met an older guy in a chat room called The Vampire Pub, Summer thought it was like an online game. But then they began to plan to run away together and pressured Summer to join them. Summer and her older friend hit the road with their newfound 18-year-old cyber pal on August 13, 1996. It was a journey Summer will never forget.

It took 72 hours for Summer to realize she'd made a big mistake and that she wanted to go home. On August 20, she called the police from a pay telephone in Nevada to ask for help. Summer is safe at home now, but wishes she'd followed her own intuition. All she left behind when she ran was a handwritten not to her mom, apologizing and promising she'd be back.

Girls face a lot of situations today that put them in uncomfortable spots. You're constantly having to make decisions for yourself and are faced with peer pressure about anything from who your friends are - male and female - to exposure to drugs and sex. One more time, THINK ABOUT IT.

According to a March 1997 Gallup poll, more than half of 13-17 year olds in the United States have gone online one time or more. To download more information about rules for cyberspace safety, visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's web site at http://www.missingkids.com to view the brochure titled Child Safety on the Information Highway, or call 1-800-THE-LOST (1800-843-5673) to request a free, hard copy.

RULE 3
SAY NO IF YOU FEEL THREATENED
If someone -- anyone -- touches you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, you have the right to say no. Whether it is peer pressure about sex, drugs or doing something that you know is wrong, be strong and stand your ground. Dont' be afraid to make your feelings known.

Listen to your intuition and best judgment. If your friends are making bad decisions, you don't have to. Have the confidence to say NO if anyone makes you feel uncomfortable.