How common is child abduction

Missing and Abducted Children | Child Crime Prevention & Safety Center

Every 40 seconds, a child goes missing or is abducted in the United States. Approximately 840,000 children are reported missing each year and the F.B.I. estimates that between 85 and 90 percent of these are children. While most reports of missing or abducted children are resolved within hours, many involve situations where a child goes missing permanently or for an extended period of time. The following are some of the key issues surrounding missing and abducted children.

AMBER Alerts

The AMBER Alert system represents a partnership between broadcasters, cell service providers, state transportation services and local police in which warning messages are quickly and widely disseminated in order to help find abducted children. AMBER stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response and was created to honor Amber Hagerman, a nine-year-old girl who was kidnapped and murdered in Arlington, Texas. Over 800 children have been rescued because of AMBER alerts and these messages have proved to be a highly effective tool in finding missing children and protecting children from abduction.

Family Abduction

Family kidnappings make up half of all reported abductions in the United States. Family abduction is typically committed by parents and it involves a significantly higher proportion of female perpetrators when compared to other kidnapping offenses. Children under the age of 6 are most frequently targeted for family abductions and these often occur in the midst of bitter divorce or child custody battles between parents. Family abduction poses unique issues for law enforcement, as the child may be unwilling to leave his or her abductor and other family members may be involved in concealing and aiding the abducting parent.

Non-Family Abduction

Non-family abductions include kidnappings committed by acquaintances and strangers. Acquaintance abductions make up 27 percent of all child abductions and is committed by a disproportionally high number of juvenile offenders. Acquaintance abductions also have the highest number of female and teenage victims and is often associated with other crimes such as sexual and physical assault. Abductions committed by strangers typically occur in outdoor locations. Stranger abduction is most likely to involve a firearm when compared to the other types of abduction and is associated with sexual assault in female victims and robbery in male victims.

Runaway

Children who run away and become homeless is a serious and pervasive issue. One in seven children between the ages of 10 and 18 will run away from home and young people between the ages of 12 and 17 are at a greater risk to become homeless than adults. 75 percent of runaways are female and between 6 and 22 percent of homeless girls are pregnant. Between 20 and 40 percent of young people who run away from home identify as part of the LGBTQ community. Half of all runaways report escaping physical abuse in the home, while 38 percent escape emotional abuse and 17 percent acknowledged being subject to sexual abuse by a family or household member. Children who run away from home face greater risk of anxiety, depression, suicide, poor health and low self-esteem and are more likely to be forced into prostitution, drug sales and other illegal activities.

Physically/Mentally Disabled Children

In many cases, a child who is missing or who has been abducted may have physical or mental disabilities which can make it more difficult to find and return the child. When a child is developmentally disabled, he or she may have difficulty communicating with others about their needs, identity or home address. This can place the child in a greater degree of danger. These children are especially susceptible to being abducted and it may be harder to return them to their parents when they are lost. Physical disabilities can also make it more difficult for missing children to be discovered and returned and provided necessary medical care and treatment. Law enforcement agencies receive special training in handling cases involving missing or abducted children who have mental or physical disabilities.

AMBER Alerts
Family Abduction
Non-Family Abduction
Runaways
Missing / Abducted Children – Physical or Mental Disabilities

The Truth About Child Abduction Statistics in 2022

Far from the days of seeing kids show up on the milk carton of your morning cereal, missing children in the United States and worldwide is a deeply concerning issue. Child abduction statistics show that the prevalence of this type of crime is more often than you think, but the perpetrators are who you’d least expect.

It’s easy to get swept away in the myths about who and why children go missing. Less sinister than the news would have you believe, most children go missing because a non-custodial parent has picked them up. While stranger danger is real, it’s not as real as we’ve been made to believe. Check out these latest statistics to find out the truth about kids going missing.

8 Child Abduction Statistics (Editor’s Choice)

Every year, approximately eight million children are reported missing worldwide
In the US, 2300 children are reported missing per day
Strangers abduct less than 1% of missing children
Parents are accountable for over 90% of abductions
In the US, nearly 400 000 youth were abducted in 2020
Every two minutes, a child is reported missing in Europe
In 2019, Turkey had an abduction rate of 14.86 cases per 100,000 people
In Europe, one-third of missing children were found by the police in 2020

General Missing Children Statistics

There are three different types of child abduction: stranger abduction, abduction for the purpose of raising a child, and parental abduction. Millions of children go missing every year, and due to lack of reporting, that instance is likely much more. In recent years, however, the combination of awareness and technology has ensured that almost all children are returned home safely.

1. Around 8 million children are reported missing each year worldwide.

(ICMEC)

According to the latest worldwide missing children statistics, the US accounts for 800,000 missing child cases each year. While many high-profile cases come from the United States, the speculation that child abduction is an American problem is evidently false, with millions more being reported across the globe.

2. 2300 children are reported missing daily in the US.

(Child Find of America)

Missing child reports cover many different situations, including abductions. While some are instances of parental or stranger abduction, other instances include running away, being kicked out, misunderstandings, or getting lost.

3. In 2020, almost 400 000 youth were abducted in the US.

(Statista)

Based on the latest child abduction statistics for 2020, there were 178 747 teen male kidnapping cases, while the number of girls was much higher, at 209 375 cases. It seems that kidnapping and age do have an inverse relationship. The higher the age of the person, the lower the likelihood of being abducted. For example, less than 160,000 adults were abducted in 2020.

4. Teenagers are the most common age group for abduction.

(MoCHIP)

According to analyses of missing children cases, teenagers are the most likely to be victimized. While the press may be inclined to cover cases of smaller children under the age of 12, statistics show that teens between 12 and 18 account for 80% of all parental and stranger abductions in the US.

5. More than 99% of missing children return home alive.

(Reuters)

While a missing child is always a scene for concern, the vast amount of child abduction cases in recent years have returned home alive. Many point to technological advancement as a leading reason for this positive indication, as well as greater awareness that quick responses make a difference for the lives of abductees.

Stranger abductions are the only outlier in this hopeful outlook. Studies show that of this small group of children every year, 40% of them are killed by the person who took them.

Child Abduction Statistics: Non-Family Kidnapping

Non-family kidnapping is perhaps the most commonly associated type of abduction in this phenomenon. Fear of human trafficking, child abuse, and other crimes is very real in these scenarios, and while they account for a small proportion of all missing child cases, the impact is devastating.

6. Less than 1% of missing children get abducted by strangers.

(Missing Kids, Reuters)

When it comes to all cases of children reported missing, less than 1% are taken by someone they don’t know. The vast 91% of missing cases are runaways, as child kidnapping statistics show, while family abductions make up 5% of missing children. Based on reports from the FBI over the last ten years, fewer than 350 children were abducted annually by strangers, despite the high profile news coverage of many cases.

7. 57% of children abducted by strangers make it back home.

(Reuters)

While stranger abductions are more difficult to prevent and intercept, the majority are still returned home alive. Child abduction rates show that since stranger abduction is most often a premeditated act, it involves using techniques to lure the child to come willingly with the perpetrator, only to be victimized later. The nature of this crime makes it much more difficult to catch, especially after more than a few days have passed.

8. One in six runaways are likely victims of child sex trafficking.

(Missing Kids)

Of the 26 500 missing children in 2020, 1 in 6 were likely involved in sex trafficking. Sex trafficking is a pertinent issue in regards to child abduction cases, and the majority of the time, the trafficker is someone close to the child, such as a guardian, parent, neighbor, or friend of the family. One scary statistics says that 20% of abusers have attacked between 10 and 40 minors. Background checking services have become available in recent decades, giving parents extra security about the adults they let into their children’s lives.

9. The first three hours after the abduction is the most crucial for finding a child.

(q13fox)

A fast response to missing child cases is the key to bringing kids home safely. According to children kidnapping statistics, in 74% of abduction-murder cases, the children were harmed or murdered within the first three hours of being abducted.

10. 71% of non-family abductions happen on the way to or from school.

(Reuters, News24)

Statistics show that 71% of non-family abductions happen outdoors. Notably, the most likely time of day for abductions is the afternoon or early in the morning, when children are walking to and from school.

11. Almost all children abducted by strangers are taken by men.

(Kids Health)

Child abduction statistics show that most kidnappers unknown to the victim are male, and two-thirds of victims in this category are young girls.

12. Abducted children often come from low-income households.

(Journalist Secure)

Children from low-income houses are more likely to be abducted and are more likely to have divorced or separated parents. The difference is quite substantial, with 9 in 1000 children experiencing an abduction in two-parent households and 84 in 1000 in single-parent households.

Statistics on Child Abductions by Family

Parental abduction is the main type of kidnapping in the US. Many reports question the labeling of this particular crime as it insinuates something ill-intentioned, while the majority of the time, the child is safe, but a parent has broken a custodial agreement. This mislabeling inflates statistics and creates a perception that stranger danger is around every corner.

13. More than 90% of abductions are committed by a parent.

(Journalist Secure, Reuters)

Parental abduction is the most common type of kidnapping, and statistics on child abduction indicate that 60% of the time, the person is the mother or another female relative.

Even though the abduction by a parent doesn’t have to be a negative experience for the kid, there may be long-term traumatizing effects. That’s especially the case when children experience grief, stress, or conflicts in loyalty because of the abduction.

14. Three in every thousand children are abducted by a family member each year.

(Journalist Secure) (Science Direct)

Almost 5% of children in the US have experienced a parental abduction in their lifetime. 90% of the abductions were conducted by a parent, with 10% reported as another family member. Using a GPS tracker for your kids is becoming a more popular trend, so parents can feel secure knowing where their child is.

Child Abduction Statistics by Country

Child abduction is sometimes seen as an American problem. With many high-profile cases that reach global scales, this stereotype is far from the truth. While the US has a fair number of abductions every year, the rest of the world isn’t doing much better. Reporting is an issue with this topic, as many lower-income countries simply don’t keep track of missing children or follow up on reports.

15. In 2019, Turkey was the country with the highest child abduction rate — 14.86 cases per 100,000 people.

(SidmartinBio)

Canada was a close second, with a rate of 13.82 abductions per 100,000 residents, followed by Kuwait, with 11.52 abductions per 100,000 people. Switzerland wasn’t far behind, with 8.61 abductions per 100,000 people.

Abducted child statistics are difficult to estimate, however, as many countries don’t report this activity at all.

16. Around 20 000 children go missing every year in Australia.

(Global Missing Kids)

Australia also deals with a significant missing child problem. With similar barriers to the United States and Canada, this issue is even more severe for indigenous kids. Studies show that 20% of abductions are indigenous teens, and 70% of cases are children living in out-of-home care.

17. In India, around 100 000 children go missing every year.

(Global Missing Kids)

With a population of 1.3 billion, India reports 100,000 missing children every year. It’s speculated that the number of missing children in India is unknowable since most cases are never reported. With a population of 84 million, Germany reports the same number of abductions, granted with a much higher rate. The issue of reporting plagues this problem, making it difficult to draw any concrete conclusions.

18. 20 000 children are abducted each year in China.

(Deutsche Welle) (QZ)

It’s reported that 70,000 people go missing every year in China, 20,000 of which are children. China is a unique case for reporting as parental abduction is not considered a criminal offense, nor is it part of the missing child count. The latest stats on child abduction indicate thousands of children in China are abducted for the purpose of being sold.

19. A child gets reported missing every two minutes in Europe.

(Missing Children)

Europe faces unique challenges to reporting and finding missing children. More than half of reported abduction cases are children who have run away, while 22.7% of abductions were by a parent. The number of missing children per year is also affected by child migration, human trafficking, and non-reporting in several countries.

20. 33% of missing children in Europe were found by the police in 2020.

(Missing Children)

Out of the 19 countries that contributed to the data collection, police found 33% of all missing children in 2020 in Europe. Notably, 38% of children came back on their own, and 20% were brought back by a third party.

21. Alaska has the highest number of missing people in the US.

(KREM)

When it comes to child abduction statistics in 2020 by state, Alaska takes the lead. The state not only has the highest number of missing people but also the highest crime rate in the country, almost double the national average crime rate.

Conclusion

Child abduction and missing children is a serious global issue. With many countries facing the same barriers to reporting, tracking, and ultimately finding lost kids, the lack of information has dire consequences. While the most common form of child abduction is by a non-custodial parent, there are other cases that are much more sinister that include human trafficking, child abuse, and long-term abduction.

With technological advancement and awareness-raising, the number of missing children that are found and returned home safely in the US is almost all of them. Through quick response and GPS tracking, many situations are resolved with no harm to the child. By being equipped with the right tools like stun guns and pepper sprays to respond to things that don’t seem right, everyone can help play a role in keeping children safe and at home, where they’re supposed to be.

Child Abduction What Article? - MFC of the Chelyabinsk region

Abduction or substitution of a child is punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years. shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of up to one year, or correctional labor for the same term.

Kidnapping of someone else's child: Kidnapping or substitution of someone else's child for mercenary purposes, out of revenge or other personal motives - shall be punished by imprisonment for up to five years. Article 9 applies to the latter0003 88 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation . The punishment in this case is appointed in a special order.

What is child abduction?

Kidnapping of a child is a crime under Art. 126 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The goal can be anything: violent actions, sale to organs, ransom demand. At the same time, the kidnapper must know for certain that he has not reached the age of 18 years.

What is considered kidnapping?

Abduction of a person is his illegal capture, movement and subsequent retention in order to commit another crime or for other reasons. Kidnapping is also possible by deceiving the victim or breaching trust in order to subsequently capture and hold him.

What is article 126 part 2?

‘z’ h. 2 st. 126 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation qualifies the abduction of a person committed in order to obtain material benefits for the perpetrator or other persons or to get rid of material costs. If the kidnapping is accompanied by a requirement to transfer money or other property, then the deed should be qualified according to the totality of Art.

What is Article 126?

Kidnapping is punishable by forced labor for a term of up to five years or imprisonment for the same term. shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of five to twelve years, with or without restraint of liberty for a term of up to two years.

What is child endangerment?

Article 125 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“ Leaving in danger ”) provides for penalties for persons who knowingly left children without help who finds himself in a situation that poses a danger to his health or life, who is unable to cope with the situation on his own due to various reasons, including

Is it possible to kidnap your child?

“According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, a parent cannot kidnap his own child , he is a debtor and must simply transfer children for upbringing to the one with whom his place of residence is determined. Such a parent faces only administrative punishment, there is no criminal for such behavior, ”she clarified.

What is the difference between kidnapping and illegal imprisonment?

The essential difference between illegal imprisonment and kidnapping lies in the fact that kidnapping always requires active actions from the perpetrator, while illegal imprisonment can be expressed both in the form of action and inaction .

What is the illegal detention of a person?

Illegal deprivation of liberty is punishable by restraint of liberty for a term of up to two years, or by forced labor for a term of up to two years, or by arrest for a term of three to six months, or by deprivation of liberty for a term of up to two years.

What is meant by unlawful deprivation of a person's freedom?

Under unlawful deprivation of liberty is understood a situation where the victim remains at his location, but is restricted in movement without legal grounds. For example, he is tied up or not allowed to leave the premises.

How much do you get for kidnapping?

Article 1260003 to the same period. shall be punishable by imprisonment for for a term of five to twelve years, with or without restraint of liberty for for a term of up to two years.

How many years do you get for stealing children?

Abduction or substitution of a child is punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years .

What is the punishment for kidnapping?

Abduction related to paragraphs 1 and 2 of Art. 126 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation committed by an organized group or negligently entailed the death of the victim, as well as other grave consequences is punishable by : imprisonment for a term of 8 to 20 years.

What is the most severe punishment for taking a hostage?

Taking a hostage is punishable by imprisonment for from five to ten years.

What is the difference between article 126 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation kidnapping and 206 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation hostage-taking?

126 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ) from hostage-taking 0003 hostage taking - public safety.

How to kidnap an orphan. Why orphanages are not protected from criminals

On July 25, 2015, a 9-year-old pupil was kidnapped from an orphanage in the city of Abdulino, Orenburg Region. According to the investigation, the child was taken away in an unknown direction by a 41-year-old previously convicted native of Khabarovsk. An expert in the field of social orphanhood Alexander Gezalov , who himself went through the system of orphanages - about how easy it is now - to come and kidnap a child from a state institution.

Update 07/28/2015

Law enforcement agencies detained in Chelyabinsk a nine-year-old boy suspected of kidnapping from an orphanage in the city of Abdulino, Orenburg Region, the child was with a man. Doctors examined the boy, nothing threatens his health.
More →

The Investigative Committee (IC) of the Russian Federation for the Orenburg region opened a criminal case on the fact of the kidnapping - paragraph "e" part 2. Art. 126 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (kidnapping). As stated in the message of the Investigative Committee, the investigative team, experienced forensic investigators of the investigative department, police officers and experts immediately began to search for the missing person. In addition, the investigators promise to give a legal assessment of the actions of the employees of the orphanage: how well those who are obliged to ensure the safety of life and health of orphans work.

Indeed, it seems nonsense - a man from the street enters the orphanage, takes the child and leaves in an unknown direction. But it just seems. This could happen not only in the orphanage of the city of Abdulino, but also in almost any other similar institution in Russia. Orphans are, as it were, sovereigns, but at the same time, access to them is open to everyone: anyone can often come to the orphanage under the guise of a volunteer, sponsor, and many others. In fact, orphanages are now open wide, and in this sense, the children in them are defenseless. The case of kidnapping is not an isolated one, which means that urgent measures must be taken.

How can you lure an orphan

Firstly, orphans get used to the fact that all sorts of offerings are brought to them. And it becomes the norm for them to accept gifts. With or without reason. Secondly, children have the opportunity to leave the orphanage and go in any direction. This is often where the run begins. It seems that he left not far, and then he went by train and so on.

It must be understood that some children from orphanages have experience of vagrancy and adaptation to life in an urban environment. Accordingly, they can easily leave the walls of institutions for free flight. So, for example, in one region there are about two thousand cases of "AWOL" per thousand pupils. Yes, they are put on the wanted list, but during their absence, either they will commit a crime, or more adult vagrants will commit crimes against them.

Children from marginalized families in an orphanage have experience with people who use alcohol and drugs. And that means that they are not afraid to communicate with such people, because they do not see a danger in this, because they think that they can cope with the difficulties that arise.

I am sure that the child who was stolen in the Orenburg region already had experience of leaving the walls of the orphanage. And most likely because he easily followed the "uncle". God grant that everything is fine with him, maybe this person in the photo is a relative of the child and will not harm him. However, there are not very many chances for a happy outcome after being kidnapped from an orphanage: decent people will not hang around the walls of such institutions.

Who is to blame and what to do

In my lifetime, no one has ever suffered a serious punishment for the fact that orphans run away, after which they often die. Precisely because it is on them, on orphans, that the entire measure of responsibility is often assigned. Like, what parents did they come to our orphanage from? What to take from them?

Yes, trust in strangers, the habit of receiving gifts, the experience of vagrancy, the lack of a sense of danger - these are all the problems of many children from orphanages, which allow an attacker to easily take away an orphan by deceit.

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