Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai General Chat

There have been quite a few incidents recently of attempted abductions of children outside schools and in shops. All the schools have been sending out circulars to parents to be vigilant.

Please, if you have children, remind them of stranger danger and never to go with someone they don't know and if they are approached, to run to a populated area for help and to report the incident.

Let's keep children safe. People mistakenly assume that the UAE is a very safe place to be, for the most part it is, but there are dangers everywhere.

I read an article by a woman who asked her daughter: If someone said they lost their puppy and asked you to go with them to help find the puppy, would you go. Her daughter replied: YES. It was then that she realized that absence of teaching children about stranger danger and she has taken on a movement to get parents to teach their children and to get a child's ID kit. There is this sense of safety in Dubai that may have existed at one time, but that is no longer the case.

Oh boy that is scary...The education should start from the parents...Children now a days are getting smarter yet they are still vulnerable.

Let's spread the words! Talk nobody to strangers

BB, that puppy ruse was used with a young Canadian girl recently and she was abducted and raped and murdered. The trial is in progress at the moment.

One particular incident was pretty scary and recently reported in the press, where a mother and her daughter were in a supermarket, the mother turned her back on the child for a few minutes and the girl was flanked by two men, who tried to escort her out the shop - luckily the mother saw, screamed after them and the men ran off without the girl! Brazen to do it in a public place.

Terrifying! My kids don't always stay close when we are shopping, and it scares me that something like this could happen.

Chocoholic ,

It happened in the Union Coop on Al Wasl. It's a very busy location.

Bora Bora , I know. But it's scary that there are people waiting to take advantage. Obviously it wasn't a spur of the moment thing.

kanelli ,

I think living outside the US, Canada and the UK in other countries that are considered "safe" we wrap ourselves in "safety" factor concept. When I shop I will leave my handbag in the trolley seat and take a few steps away from it. I know that would be impossible to do in the US as it would be gone in a matter of seconds.

Things have certainly changed in Dubai. There was also a man driving around communities stopping children and another man riding a bicycle and joining up with kids who were out by themselves.

Do you have a child ID kit Kanelli for the children? If not, you might just want to get them. In the US, Canada, and the UK parents never take their eyes off their children and if the child slips away from a moment it's instant panic. It's always good to take good observance as to the clothing, socks and shoes/sandals/sneakers they are wearing.

@ Chocs: Definitely not spur of the moment and planned. I bet that child is glued to her mother's hip when they go out.

I'm certainly going to be stricter about it. My youngest will have to stay strapped in the stroller.

kanelli , and tell him that it's for his own good, at least until he's 5!!!

The 5 year old is just as bad! I really need to keep on them about it. Shopping with kids is always a pain in the backside anyway.

kanelli , threaten them with the harness!!!! It's either stick close to me, or wear the harness, which do you prefer???