The Importance of Social Support in Missing Child Cases

“Social Support is the Interpersonal Factor most predictive of post-traumatic resiliency”.

-          Dr. Emery John’s Hopkins School of Public Health

 

The cases of missing/unidentified persons and their families are part of what has been called “The Silent Mass Disaster”. If a natural disaster or an act of terrorism affected as many people as missing and unidentified persons cases do every year, our country would respond with a massive effort on a scale that we have never seen before.

That would be awesome, since we know that support of community, friends and neighbors is the biggest indicator that someone will overcome trauma, recover, and go on to thrive.

And we need our searching families to stay strong through the trauma of missing a loved one, recover, and thrive, so that they can be that support for the missing person when he or she returns home.

In cases where the abductor feels that they have sufficient control over their victims, an abducted child may be allowed access to media. This social support can help them endure their ordeal until they have the opportunity to escape.

Missing/unidentified cases are very much a matter of public interest, public concern, and collective responsibility.

Unfortunately, missing/unidentified person cases are instead seen as individual and private tragedies, rather than a public safety or public health issue. This isolation is complicated by the drive many feel to distance themselves from those suffering misfortune.

It is almost a reflex for people to immediately blame the missing person and their family for what has happened to their loved-one. Because if that family did something to cause the misfortune, then observers can comfort themselves with the illusion that nothing of the sort will happen to them or their loved ones.

This urge takes on a whole different aspect when it is taken up by mob mentality on social media.

Social media is a powerful tool for communicating a case to the public. However, it can quickly turn on a family if they become the focus of people who are determined to blame, shame, and isolate the victims. It can lead to the strange situation of being completely isolated while at the same time, being considered public property for anyone to put their mark on.

In this day and age, when “True Crime” Drama is second only to “Reality T.V.”, and most people get their news from social media, we have a public that is engaged as never before with both entertainment and with following real-life dramas of private people.

Everyone wants to be a super-sleuth, and everyone wants to be the one who figured out “whodunnit”.

Sometimes, people get carried away and forget that there are real people and real families behind the headlines, and it is very easy for them to get into grinding their own ax at the expense of the people involved.

Every searching family has to decide (along with law-enforcement and their support team),  how much and what kind of information to put out about their child and the circumstances of their disappearance.

They have to ask themselves if this information will:

·        make my child more vulnerable?

·       signal the direction of the investigation to the people responsible?

·       give away information about what we know and how we know it?

·       reveal private things about our family that won’t help the investigation?

·       lead to retaliation against the child by the people responsible for his or her disappearance?

Many searching families are criticized for not putting out enough information, and accused of “hiding” information, “only telling part of the story”, and other accusations based on their choices to curate the information they share about their child’s case.

We have seen cases where children who have been abducted have been re-victimized in social media due to thoughtless and cruel comments.

In one national case, a teenaged girl whose mother and younger brother were murdered as part of the abduction was accused of being the mastermind of her own victimization. A self-proclaimed crime profiler and journalist wrote a number of columns accusing the child of being responsible for her own victimization. This, in spite of multiple unequivocal assertion of Law Enforcement Officers from multiple agencies that worked the case that the child was a victim.

In every case we have looked at, there are some people who find it easier to blame the missing and their families, rather than be supportive and helpful.

Our policy is to support the families and the missing through the crisis, and help connect them to resources as needed to empower them to overcome any conditions that may have contributed to the child being missing, and to help them recover from the trauma of the crisis.

Why do we do that, people wonder?

After all, common opinion says that most children are hurt by their parents, and that kids who run away are either bad kids, from bad homes or both.

Common opinion, as in many other cases, does not serve us in the case of missing children.

The best statistics that we have on missing children are very old. Newer statistics are piece-meal and incomplete.

Beyond those facts, we have the situation of effective innumeracy in our society, where people don’t understand how statistics work, and don’t pay attention to the narrow qualifiers that accompany each statistic. What those statistics tell us, is that regardless of who took the child, or if they left on their own power, it must be recognized that they must be assumed to be in danger for as long as they are missing. First and foremost, we must work to find them.

 

The fact of the matter is; no matter what the statistics say, each and every case must be evaluated individually to determine what actually happened THIS TIME.

Statistics indicate a line of inquiry or questioning and suggest possibilities that should not be overlooked. But what solves the case are the facts and evidence collected by the investigators, and an intelligent evaluation of that knowledge to create the theory of that crime.

Too often, arm-chair sleuths want to blurt out their initial gut reactions based on their experience in consuming “true crime” materials. They like to cast doubt on the case, and then come out with a safe-sounding opinion that they feel is backed up by statistics.

It is up to us in the majority of the responsible public to speak out when we see this and support the families and the missing, rather than let others treat them as objects for their own self-amusement.

When the case is communicated to the public, the public is given the information about that case which will best help them get involved constructively in the case – while protecting the victim as much as possible.

When you see comments along the line of “There is more to this case than meets the eye”, “There is a lot of missing information”, or “There are a lot of unanswered questions in this case”, “or, they are withholding information” this is the time to step up and say “We don’t need to know everything about this case to help this child and this family. Share the poster, and report anything you see or know to the authorities.”

If you see someone saying something horrible about the searching family, the child, or others who are involved that is the time to step up and say “Social media is not the place to report information about a crime, and gossiping about a family in crisis is disgusting. If you are gossiping, stop it. If you have information about the case, contact the authorities.”

My personal favorite is when someone refers to the victim as “not a perfect angel”, “Not completely innocent” or some other similar phrase.

Let’s just say it. Nobody is “completely innocent” Nobody is “a perfect angel”.

If that is our criteria for a victim to have recourse to the law and the support of the community, then we are all in big trouble. A plea to help find a missing child is an act of trust in a community to respond positively and humanely.

Let’s not only do that ourselves, but insist that others do the same. Our missing/unidentified persons and our searching/left behind families need our support.

Persistant Myths About Parental Abduction

I have to admit to being a little disheartened today.

In the course of getting ready for our 8^th Annual Golf Classic to raise money for our programs, and getting materials ready for a public-awareness trip up to Lake of the Woods County Fair, I came across a pile of papers. In that pile was an article written in 1984 by Jan Russell, a pioneer in working to resolve the problem of parental abduction.

In this article, she describes the myths and realities of parental abduction, and talks about the barriers encountered by left-behind families in parental abduction cases.

Sadly, these myths and realities seem to be largely unchanged in the intervening 31 years. More sadly, Missing Children Minnesota has been around for 31 years working to change these myths and perceptions, and introduce a new reality. But it has become clear that one little organization running on a shoe-string budget cannot do much to move the needle on this issue.

We need the public will, and public support. Will you help us? Will you spread the word that parental kidnapping is a real issue, that it hurts children, devastates families, creates a financial and resource drain on communities, and (let’s say it again, because it is the most important) it hurts children.

I am reproducing the article here in its entirety for you to see. Please tell everyone you know about the realities of parental abduction.

To fix this, we need:

·       Public recognition that parental abduction is a serious crime that hurts kids, hurts (and often bankrupts) families, and that has a high economic and social cost for communities.

·       Public commitment to getting sufficient training for law enforcement officers so that they know they need to take a report of a missing child right away, and how to respond in the early stages of an investigation. Also, to add the manpower and resources to follow through and send the message that parental abduction is no longer a "free crime".

·       Public pressure to investigate and prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.

Let’s not let another 31 years go by with these myths and barriers still in place. Since the beginning of the year, we have had several cases where it has taken more than a week to get a missing child report taken. A child should be considered in danger if the person who is responsible for their safety does not know where they are. Regardless of who is believed to have their child.

“You know where they are. They are with their mother.” Is not a sufficient answer if the custodial parent does not know if the mother and child are on the next block, or in Georgia. USA, Georgia in Europe, in Mexico, or in Mozambique.

Parental Kidnapping: Myths and Realities
by Jan Russel (published in 1984)

Recently a great deal of media attention has been focused on the problem of parental kidnapping. Yet the media reports, often poorly researched and inaccurate, have done little to correct the public’s misconception of this crime. Let’s review and correct the myths.

Myth: It is not illegal to take your own child.

Reality: A decade ago, this statement was pretty much true. The federal kidnapping statute (commonly known as the Lindbergh Act) specifically excluded parents from prosecution. Most jurisdictions chose to ignore the problem, while other jurisdictions , sympathetic to the plight of the left-behind parent, were forced to make do with the existing state statutes that were designed for other purposes (such as “unlawful restraint”). These efforts were, as a whole, ineffective and arbitrary.

In the late 1970’s, states began to pass legislation that in some ways prohibited interference with a custodial parent’s rights. All states have now passed laws that prohibit the removal and/or concealment of a child by natural parents.

While the passage of so many laws in less than a decade is a remarkable feat, it is important to note that not all laws are created equal. Few state laws are truly comprehensive, and some are so poorly written that they are only minimally effective. And even the best law is useless if not enforced. It is not unusual for law enforcement officers to tell left-behind parents that parental abduction is not a crime but is a civil matter. Since civil courts are unable to deal effectively with an abducting parent whose location is unknown, these parents are often left to ride a legal merry-go-round that only information or advocacy from an outside source can stop.

The effectiveness of state laws is further hampered when the prosecuting state refuses to extradite the abducting parent. The state is, in effect, rewarding parents for successful criminal behavior and signals to parents who are considering abducting their children that if you can get out of the state unapprehend, parental abduction is a “free crime”.

Myth: Parents kidnap their children because they love them too much to live apart from them; the custodial parent was unfit.

Reality: The emotion seen most often in abductions is anger. Parents abduct their children to get back at the custodial parent, to reduce or eliminate child support and/or to try to force a reconciliation with the left-behind parent.

Mothers who are declared unfit may have an additional reason to abduct their children. In our society, women are identified by their role as mothers. A mother whose child has been removed from her care is looked down on. Thus, such a mother may abduct her child because of peer pressure and the need to re-establish her identity in society.

For whatever reason a parent decides to abduct, it is never in the interest of the child.

Myth: The child is not in danger if he is being detained by a parent rather than a stranger.

Reality: While the child may be in less danger, he is not out of danger. I SEARCH, the Illinois agency created to deal with the problem of missing children, has indicated many victims of parental abduction that it helped recover in its first years of operation, were physical or sexually abused while in hiding.

Informal surveys have suggested that abducting parents are often emotionally unstable at the time of the abduction and that many such parents have a history of violent or abusive behavior, having abused their children or spouse in the past.

While on the run, the parent is under a great deal of stress. The parent is usually in a new area without the support system of friends and family; and because of fear of discovery, may not be able to get or hold a job or establish new relationships and may move frequently. The parent may begin to blame the child for the circumstances he/she is now in and take that anger out on the child.

The child also suffers psychological trauma. The left-behind parent is usually the child’s primary care-giver, that is, the person responsible for the day-to-day needs. Children expect the primary care-giver to always be there and to protect them from any harm.

Abducted children are often angry with the left-behind parent for not being with the child and for letting the abduction happen. The child often feels abandoned by the left-behind parent and may suffer because of a breach of trust with one or both parents.

 The problem is compounded when the abducting parent, in an effort to stop the child’s questions, tell the child that the left-behind parent is dead or that the parent does not love them, or want them anymore.

Under the best of circumstances, the child loses all sense of security and stability, and it is important to locate the child as quickly as possible to minimize the damage.

Myth: Parental Kidnapping is such an isolated event, it will never happen to me.

Reality: A congressional subcommittee estimated that 100,000 to 400,000 American children become victims of parental kidnapping each year. It can happen to children of any social, economic or ethnic/racial group. It can happen while their parents are still living together as well as when they are separated or divorced.

Furthermore, the likelihood of an abduction is higher for two particular groups. The children of battered women comprise the highest-risk group. Parental abduction is often the abuser’s last-ditch effort to force home a wife who has left him. The risk is greatest after a separation, but the motive in these cases often changes after the divorce from an effort at reconciliation, to revenge, and the threat rarely goes away entirely. The children of unwed mothers are also at high risk as fathers use the children to maintain deteriorating relationships.

Myth: Parental abductions are resolved quickly. The abducting parent usually returns in a week or so, sorry he/she did it. There’s no need to go searching for the parent.

Reality: It is not at all unusual for children to be gone for more than a year before being located; thousands of children have been located after being gone for several years, and a conservative estimate is that 20-30% of abducted children are never seen again by their custodial parent.

The odds for recovery are much better now than they ever have been. Contributing factors are: better laws, increased effort by law enforcement agencies, media distribution of pictures, more awareness on the part of the public and the efforts of missing children agencies. But, as in other types of crimes, the sooner an ambitious search is begun, the better the chance there is for recovery.

8th Annual Golf Classic

Missing Children Minnesota is excited to announce our 8th Annual golf tournament to be held at Northfield Golf Club 100% of the proceeds will benefit Missing Children Minnesota (MCM)!

 

Our festivities have found a wonderful new home. We were able to travel to Northfield and get a look at this charming Clubhouse, and the gorgeous grounds. We were graciously treated to a tour, and we can't wait to introduce you to this gem of a golf course!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 If you already have three friends that you want to team up with, you can buy a team ticket for $400. Just make sure to let us know your team name, and the names of all your players!

 

If you just want to sign up yourself, and have us find a team for you, you can buy a ticket for $125, and just let us know to coordinate with other individuals and get you into a team!

 

You can register by sending a check and information about your team name, and the names of your players to:

Golf Classic Tickets

C/O Missing Children Minnesota

416 East Hennepin Ave

Suit #217

Minneapolis, MN 55414

 

OR you can register at Eventbrite with a credit card or Paypal: (Eventbrite will charge an additional fee)

 

 https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=16822886707

All proceeds will go to support Missing Children Minnesota's Prevention Programs and Support and Referral Services for searching families.

 

In 2014 we educated over 4,000 Minnesotans on personal safety for children, and we helped 30 families of missing children with their search for their kids! With your help, we will be able to expand the reach of our programs and services.

We won't stop until all of the kids come home!