If you witnessed a crime
First of all, if you see a kidnapping attempt, you should contact law enforcement, says Vadim Bagaturia, a lawyer and former prosecutor’s inspector. He warned that anyone who wants to help must be aware of their responsibility to circumvent the measures to stop crime.
“If you see a kidnapping, whether it’s a child, an adult, or an elderly person, you don’t need to grab a stick and kill the kidnapper right away. You do not know the nuances in advance: there may be a family conflict, a reckoning between the former spouses about the place of residence of the child, ”the author said.
As Bagaturia explains, an eyewitness would have to view the picture, approach a crying or stubborn child, and point to an adult and ask: “Who is this person: uncle, mom or dad?” If the child answers “I don’t know him”, it would be useful to call the police before leaving the scene, giving the full address, explaining the situation, and saying that there is no measure against the attacker. Send an outfit urgently.
For example, when a child is put in a car by several strong men who are unlikely to be stopped by one person, you should photograph or record the vehicle and, if possible, track it while in contact with it. police, said the lawyer.
In addition, according to Bagaturia, it is important to describe the alleged intruder in as much detail as possible: his appearance, clothes and special markings. A conversation with law enforcement is usually recorded and can be entered into the protocol later, even if a shocked person forgets some information.
If a person trying to commit an illegal act against a minor is afraid of questions and rushes to leave the scene, you should not take the child away on your own. “We have to stay where we are and wait for the police to come. It is enough to calm the child, ”the expert emphasized.
Don’t punish, neutralize
Each case of criminal liability of a citizen trying to prevent a crime and exceeding the limit of permissible actions is considered separately. As Bagaturia says, with obvious signs of kidnapping or violence against a child, it’s worth trying to stop the attacker’s actions after calling the police. But the lawyer recalled the precedents when people who stood up for children did not calculate their strength and killed criminals. If it is possible to independently detain a suspect due to physical superiority, it makes sense to do so, but only for the purpose of further transfer to the police.
“Only society, represented by the state and the court, has the right to punish a criminal.
In the case of the murder of a suspect, an eyewitness who wants to prevent tragedy could be sentenced to 7-8 years in prison,” he warned.
Also, if you decide to neutralize the culprit, you must be completely confident that you can do so. In other words, be aware that the attacker may reciprocate.
“You can’t always guarantee that you won’t suffer by stopping a crime. A person caught in a rage at a crime scene can injure you. If you’re 100% sure you can neutralize the culprit, do it. In other cases, observe and notify the police,” says the former inspector.
At the same time, the eyewitness will not be held responsible for accidentally calling the police if it eventually turns out that there was no threat to the minor by a suspicious adult. As a rule, in practice, the police examine the details of the incident and find that the citizen is only on the alert, there is nothing to punish him, Bagaturia said.
Child bans don’t work
Parents can also help the child, who will conduct an acquaintance with them about behavior with unfamiliar adults, but this should not be done, for example, with the help of standard advice-recommendations that you should not interact with strangers in principle, says: family psychologist and founder of the Academy of Safety Olga Bochkova.
Therefore, according to the psychologist, such “guides” cause misunderstandings and a lot of questions in children.
Let’s look at the example of the “Never go anywhere with strangers” ban. The child immediately begins to ask: “How much never?”, “What if another child calls me to play?”, “If we met last week, is it already possible?” There is confusion, the ban is losing its power. The child knows what not to do and what to do in a situation with a stranger – he does not know. In addition, children look at the behavior of the parent and copy it, and yet we often communicate with complete strangers: couriers, drivers, cashiers, ”explains the expert.
Parents need to clearly define the concept of a stranger for the child – this is someone he does not know or remember, adds Bochkova.
In addition, according to a family psychologist, it is usually not difficult for an aggressor to take away an underage child, for whom the parents strictly instilled certain rules of courtesy: help those in need, do not disturb or disturb adults, do not make noise or attract attention in public places. Such a framework without detailed explanations will confuse the child in the event of a threat.
“You need to convince the child: if a stranger clings to him, calls him, if he insists, then you should keep your distance, shout “no”, run to a safe place and tell your parents what happened.
The child should remember that it is better to avoid drunk, noisy companies, stalkers, young and adult men, people who talk to themselves, run away and ask for help if they are approaching, ”the child said.
It is worth training your child’s safety skills from about 4 years old. In addition, this issue should be brought to the agenda not only with the child but also with the environment in order to improve the collective consciousness. Bochkova insists it’s especially important to help an underage form and protect her personal boundaries so she doesn’t become the victim of a kidnapper or pedophile.
“It is not necessary to teach a child to tolerate unpleasant touches from relatives and strangers, to instill a sense of shame in him or to avoid discussing such moments. It’s also worth pointing out that “secret” or “secret” games offered by strangers and even family members should warn him and encourage him to tell his parents,” adds the expert.