Walking, Jogging, and Abductions.

Sadly, a google search for adduction, even when adding keywords like locations, brings up page upon page of incidents. It is quite alarming.  

Many of these incidents occur as people are walking or running. Why? Perpetrators are often driving a vehicle to facilitate escaping and transporting. 

Not surprisingly then, they target people who are close to roads and parking lots.    

Some examples.

• In June 2018, a 37-year-old woman was jogging during the day when a man pulled his car ahead of her, jumped out, grabbed her, trying to pull her toward his car. She hit him, screamed and he gave up, ran to his car and drove off. Shaken up, she still had the presence of mind to take a picture of his licence plate. He was later arrested. 
• In Thunder Bay, Ontario, a 38-year-old woman on a spring day in May 2017 when 2 men in a car offered her a ride. When she refused, one got out and grabbed her. After a struggle, she got away.  November 2019, a North York woman was walking when a car pulled up. A man tried to pull her into the car through the window.   
• On November 3, 2019, in Toronto, a man approached an 8-year-old girl. He grabbed her, covered her mouth and tried dragging her 60 meters to his car. She escaped before he could put her in his car.  

Thankfully, all the targets were able to escape before being taken.

 Let us look at some factors involved in the abduction attempts. 

Time of day. Most of these attempts were made in broad daylight, during times most of us feel most safe. 

Brazenness. Attackers usually prefer isolated victims to avoid being witnessed or interfered with. There are many exceptions. In the case of the Massachusetts jogger, the attacker attempted to abduct her despite the presence of other people. 

Proximity to Roads. Not a surprise since it is easier for abductors to transport their targets in a vehicle. Accordingly, they tend to park close to their target.

Proximity to the Vehicle. In the case of the North York woman, she must have got close to the vehicle. Perhaps to talk, to give directions. Do not go near the car! You can offer directions from a distance. One of the reasons the 8-year-old girl escaped was because the attacker tried to drag her 60 yards to his car. In this time, she was able to fight a draw the attention of bystanders.

Resistance. Getting someone into a vehicle, even someone much smaller is not easy. Make it as difficult as possible! Fight! Scream! Whatever it takes to avoid getting into the vehicle. 

Every women (and the girl) fought back and prevented what could have been a worse fate.  

Abduction is a frightening topic. It is worthwhile, however, to understand perpetrator tactics and how people can protect themselves.  

Awareness. 

Image by F. Muhammad from Pixabay 

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