KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Child abductions are rare, but it is still scary for parents to hear about abduction cases like that of Jessica Ridgeway, the Colorado girl missing since Oct. 5 . Many experts say parents should talk to their children about strangers, so they know what to do to get away.
Jeanetta Issa is the CEO of CAPA, the Child Abuse Prevention Association. She says the "buddy system," along with arming your child with knowledge, can help protect them in a stranger danger situation.
"Kids need to make the largest amount of noise they possible can, if someone does grab them or get them in a car. They need to scream and punch and fight," Issa explained. "And they need to say, this is not my dad, I don't know you."
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also has a list of safety tips for children. The group encourages parents to talk openly with their children about safety, and encourage them to tell you or a trusted adult if someone makes them uncomfortable.
Another suggestion the center has is for parents to create "what if" scenarios to make sure children understand what they should do and are able to use that information in a real-life scenario.
For a complete list of safety tips go to ChildAbusePrevention.org