Data shows that teens are the most victimized segment of the U.S. population and yet, until now, very little education and prevention information has been available to them. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has created the Know the Rules campaign for this tough-to-reach demographic to bring empowering messages of safety that could help save their lives.
The Know the Rules safety messages are simple and as basic as remembering to look both ways before crossing the street. Adapted from NCMEC's award-winning curriculum, KIDS AND COMPANY: Together for Safety@, the messages are presented powerfully in both video and pamphlet form. The messages are:
*We Don't Go Out Alone
*Always Tell an Adult Where You're Going
*Say No If You Feel Threatened
The Know the Rules messages are geared to girls, 11-17. Teenagers and girls are among the most frequent victims of abduction and sexual assault. Recent data indicate that the average victim of abduction and murder is typically perceived to be 'low risk' - she is approximately 11 years old, leads a normal life with a loving family and has initial contact with an abductor within one mile of her own home.
Together with Channel One, that broadcasts to secondary school students and educators throughout the United States, NCMEC is currently airing Know the Rules public service announcements (PSAS) and providing educational materials to teachers. With the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) and the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children of the United States Congress, NCMEC will kick-off this new campaign nationally in January 1998. In correlation with research which finds that repetition and reinforcement of child protection messages are vital to leaving a lasting impact on children, NCMEC will broadcast the Know the Rules messages on television nationally and the supporting print campaign will appear in periodicals as well as on out-door advertising such as billboards and mall, bus, and subway venues from coast-to-coast.
If you are an educator and would like additional information on the Know the Rules campaign, see "Teachers: Help Us Reinforce These Important Messages." An excerpt of this article is currently featured in the October edition of Channel One's Educator's Guide magazine. Stay tuned to www.missing_kids.com or call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) for more information about this important new educational effort.