December 6, 1973, the day Susie Salmon was murdered.
On her way home from school on a snowy December day in 1973, 14-year-old Susie Salmon ("like the fish") is lured into a makeshift underground den in a cornfield and brutally raped and murdered, the latest victim of a serial killer--the man she knew as her neighbor, Mr. Harvey. - Amazon.com
The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold, is an amazing novel that recently came to the big screen. Although the story is depressing, it is a reminder of how parenting has changed dramatically since the 70's. Parenting in the respect of our kids having the freedom to roam neighborhoods and simply walk home from school by themselves. Today we are all too aware of educating our kids about "stranger danger" and we are more protective than generations prior.
Does this mean that our parents were not as diligent as parents are today? No, not exactly, it only means we have become more aware of the dangers that can lurk in our neighborhoods or at a local park.
Teach your children about stranger danger. Teach your kids how to talk to strangers since it is inevitable they will at one time or another.
Sex offenders watch lists:
- Family Watch Dog - Awareness is your best defense
- Map Sex Offenders - Nationwide sex offender mapping
- United States Department of Justice - National Sex Offender website
Be an educated parent, you will have safer children.
Comments
An important article for parents, grandparents and care-givers. Don't assume everyone who lives on your street is not a predator. Even if you have looked on a website to find sex offenders in your area, they are still out there.
You don't have to be paranoid, but you have to be diligent and aware and educate your kids.
Thanks for writing this article and keep this important topic in mind from time to time.
As parents, unfortunately, we probably don't know and can't tell who's the risk. So it's critical that we teach our children to say no to someone who suggests something inappropriate, and equally important, to tell us when something happens or even if someone just creeps them out.
As a 5th grader, my sister was sexually abused by our next door neighbor, the dad of her best friend. She told no one until adulthood. I think that happened because no one ever talked to us about sexual abuse and telling, and also because the abuser told her "WE did something wrong and can't tell anyone". In the absence of any other info, all she had to go on was his 'advice'.
All the girls on our blockwere a little creeped out by how this dad was touchy-feely with us. But he was also the dad who played ball with us, the fun dad. We joked about feeling creepy about his hugs- but never said anything to our parents. I think we were confused by mixed feelings for him - a classic abuser situation.
you can know your neighbors and think you know them, but then you don't really know them at all. they wear daily masks. it doesn't have to be a child or young person being lured or stalked. there's this flip old woman and near retirement chinese woman trying to peck at some dude for almost two years. they're deluded and think he's famous. women also can offend some guys. no book or movie should ever champion this topic, it's creepy beyond belief. these are strange people in our neighborhoods who we think we know, but we don't really.
QUE LES PASA A USTEDES PINCHES GRINGOS QUE SE DEDICAN A VIOLAR NIÑOS?
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