Child abduction - the real story

We're more worried than ever about 'stranger danger' and child abductions, but what's the real risk of our children being snatched?

Tabloid headlines

The names Shannon Matthews, Madeleine McCann and Jamie Bulger send a shiver down many a parent's spine. The tabloid newspapers' blanket coverage of these cases gives the impression that we live in dangerous times.

The McCann case in particular has attracted unprecedented public interest. Incredibly, the number of people reading the McCann updates online on BBC News was four or five times greater than any other story.

Does this huge increase in child abduction reporting mean that the world is getting more dangerous? Are our children really at risk of being snatched by a stranger?

Fearful parents

For 97 per cent of parents, child abduction is their biggest fear, according to child safety charity, Kidscape. A recent Durham University study supports this figure. Researchers found that most parents agreed with the statement that the world has become less safe for children, because of dangers like 'weirdos and paedophiles.'

'Cotton wool culture'

Forget mud pies, conker matches and long summer days spent roaming around the neighbourhood. In today's 'cotton wool culture', many parents have a 'worst case scenario' attitude to just about everything!

The figures speak for themselves. In 1971, 80 per cent of seven and eight-year-olds travelled to school alone. Sadly, by 1990, the figure had fallen to just 9 per cent. Play England reports that four in 10 children aren't allowed to play in a local park without an adult present.