- Don’t play in deserted areas – such as empty playgrounds, parks, construction sites or dumps.
- Stay with your mom or dad (or adult) in public places or use the buddy system.
- Play, walk, bike and skate with a friend.
- If you are out somewhere with an adult and you lose them, don’t go look for them. If you are in a store, go to the cashier or security guard and ask for help. If you can’t find a cashier or security guard and you are in trouble, look for a woman with small Adult for help.
- Stay alert and trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, like you think someone is following you, you are probably right. Try to notice if an adult is hanging around your school playground, your park or yard, and then go to where you know you can find other people.
- If you think someone is following you, cross the street and go into a store. Tell a police officer or a mother with a child. Don’t try to hide – go to where you know you can find other people.
- If someone tries to grab you, kick, punch and yell: “NO! I don’t know you! You aren’t my Mom (or Dad)!”
- If the person is in a car, stay as far away from the car as you can. Go into a store or turn around, and walk or run in the opposite direction the car is going.
- NEVER, ever hitchhike or accept a ride from someone. Don’t go near a stranger’s car. NEVER get into a car with someone you don’t know for any reason. Sometimes people use tricks, like saying your mom is hurt, or they lost their dog or kitten, to try to get you to go with them. DO NOT GO WITH THEM!
- If someone does manage to get you in his or her car, do not put on your seatbelt. Jump out when you see people and the car has to make a stop.
If you are trapped in an abductor’s car:
- Don’t sit there quietly. The person is taking you somewhere and wants to hurt you.
- If the car has back doors, try to scramble quickly to the back seat while the car is moving.
- Try to jump out of a car that is going slow or has to stop. Try to open a window and scream.
- Try to reach over and blow the horn, or grab the steering wheel. Scream as loud as you can while you do this.
If the car is stopped or slowed behind another car, reach over with your foot and stomp on the gas pedal as hard and as long as you can. This is a time you will be much safer if you cause an accident than if you behave.