For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 6, 2002
President Announces Steps to Keep America's Children Safe
Remarks by the President Announcing the Conference on Missing, Exploited, and Runaway Children
The Rose Garden
Fact Sheet
7:35 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. We're gathered here today because we
share a profound concern for the safety of the most precious and
important people in our own lives and the life of our country, our
children. After the terror of September the 11th, many parents
throughout America found themselves holding their children more
closely. Unfortunately, as we work to help our children feel safer by
fighting terror, America's children and parents are also facing a wave
of horrible violence from twisted criminals in our own communities.
During recent months, we have prayed and worried with parents as
their children have been kidnaped and, in some cases, murdered. The
kidnaping or murder of a child is every parent's worst nightmare.
Today, I call on all federal, state and local law enforcement
agencies and our communities and our citizens to work together to do
everything in our power to better protect our children.
I appreciate so very much the Attorney General John Ashcroft for
his work on this issue. I appreciate Secretary Rod Paige at the
Department of Education, who is working with us on this issue. The FBI
has provided investigators, agents to the scenes of these horrible
crimes as quickly as humanly possible, so I appreciate Director Mueller
and his agents.
I want to thank Ernie Allen, who is the president and chief
executive officer of the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children. As well, I want to thank Carolyn Atwell-Davis, who is the
government relations liaison for the Center. These are two fine human
beings who care deeply about our children and are making a positive
difference in the lives for a lot of families and a lot of communities
around America.
The most recent statistics available tell a terrible story. More
than 58,000 children are abducted by non-family members annually. Many
of these children are returned home quickly, but some are not.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies work every day to
find these missing children, and to punish severely those who have
committed crimes against them.
Today, we're taking steps to focus on preventing crimes against
children before they happen. The Department of Justice will release a
handbook of simple and practical steps that parents can take to make
their children safer.
One of the most important things that a mom or dad can do is talk
to your children very specifically, and rehearse what they can say and
do if they ever feel threatened. You should teach your children how to
say no, and how to trust their instincts. For example, children should
know that unfamiliar adults usually would not ask them for directions
or help. Such a request might be a trick to get their attention, and
of course to lure them away from safety.
The handbook also has practical advice to help families and
communities make their homes and their schools and their neighborhoods
safer. Children should know a safe place to seek help if they are
approached by a stranger on their way to school, or if they're standing
at a bus stop.
We developed these guidelines with the help of federal agencies,
and of course with the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children. And they're available at the Center's web site,
www.missingkids.com. If a mom or a dad wants to learn more today about
how to protect his or her child, go to the web site,
www.missingkids.com, and learn some practical advice and some useful
tips. The Department of Education will distribute the handbook to
every public and private school in the country, and that's why our
Secretary of Education is here.
I urge the families to get these recommendations and to discuss the
important safety tips with their children. Next month, we will convene
a White House Conference on Missing, Exploited and Runaway Children.
This forum will bring together leading national experts to focus on
ways parents and communities can help shield children from the harm
that is being done to some today.
Recent child abductions have understandably left many of our
families in fear and the most productive response is to improve the
safety of your child's environment on the best information and the best
advice. Through this conference, we'll provide that advice.
Our nation has come to know the names and faces of too many
wonderful children, because they've been the victims of despicable acts
of violence, children like Danielle Van Dam and Samantha Runnion. But
in our sorrow, we are reminded of the incredible ability of all
Americans to support one another in times of need and in times of
crisis.
Danielle's mother, Brenda, recently exchanged words of comfort with
Samantha's mother, Erin, and here's what we said: We had a
conversation, mother to mother, about our daughters, our pain, and also
our hope that Danielle and Samantha are dancing together in heaven.
No family should ever have to endure the terrible pain of losing a
child. Our nation grieves with every family that has suffered
unbearable loss, and our nation will fight the threats against our
children. We can take hopeful and practical steps to improve our
children's safety, and we will take those steps together.
Thank you all very much. May God continue to protect America's
children. Thank you.
END 7:43 A.M. EDT
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