This story has me so upset

[TwinFoxes]

This story is virtually idential to the ones from Austria.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natascha_Kampusch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritzl_case

Well the Fritzl case was even more disturbing because it was her father. There is no way she or her children/siblings are going to ever fully recover.

It just horrifies me to think that there are probably more people somewhere in the world being held captive like that. It's just so horrible.

[NancyJ_redo]

There's a small, un-evolved part of my brain that keeps thinking two words:

"death penalty"

The fully-evolved part of my brain is thinking death penalty. These two people committed what is most certainly one of the most horrific (or "several" of the most horrific) acts I can think of.

So of course hearing all of this on the news has got me thinking that I need to provide more safety education to my kids. I know this has been discussed in the past on here and I'll start searching old threads, but in the meantime if anyone wants to provide some recommendations for resources, I'm all ears

[SASM]

I always wondered the same about my almost 14 yo. We started doing drills when she was 4, about how to escape, how to scream, what to do, etc. When a heartbreaking story would surface, I would get chills and wonder if my DD would try to fight.

Uuuuuuuhhhh, hope there never comes a time for the test.

Wow... This topic is something that I try to discuss with my kids on a regular basis and I hope and pray that what I am saying is actually sinking in. I've never actually tried drills, though. How did you approach this technique at such a young age??

Does anyone have any DVDs (for children) that they recommend on this subject? My kids have watched The Safe Side: Stranger Safety several times and I've been meaning to try to find it at our new library. Any other suggestions??

[bubbaray]

So of course hearing all of this on the news has got me thinking that I need to provide more safety education to my kids. I know this has been discussed in the past on here and I'll start searching old threads, but in the meantime if anyone wants to provide some recommendations for resources, I'm all ears

http://www.thesafeside.com/?gclid=CM...FRIcawodm1huJQ

[kijip]

Consider that in this other case, a man kidnapped, raped regularly and held captive 5 different women. 3 different women made reports after they were released and were not taken seriously or fully believed. This guy only got 18-life. One of his victims later committed suicide. It's so awful that the punishment is so light relative to the crime.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jamelske

[NancyJ_redo]

http://www.thesafeside.com/?gclid=CM...FRIcawodm1huJQ

Thank you! I just put it on hold at my local library.

Melissa, you've responded to my requests for info in the past and I regularly see you respond to others, your help is much appreciated

[StantonHyde]

I just do NOT get how the wife played into this--totally, totally sicko. That poor girl/woman is never going to be normal and her kids aren't either. (Can you imagine finding out that your father is a pedophile who kidnapped and raped your mother????) Thank God she and the children are healthy.

I totally agree that sexual predators should be confined indefinitely--its not the first time they have done something, its the first time they got caught. I can sort of understand that someone could be convicted of rape and then paroled after an extended period of time. But if they do it again--that's it, throw away the key!!! (I feel the same about people with multiple DUIS)

As for not self-rescuing--even adults fall into the Stockholm Syndrome. Children would be totally brainwashed.

Elizabeth Smart is doing well (my front yard overlooks her back yard) and I see her running in the neighborhood sometimes (always with a friend). There were lots of weird things with that story and how the family handled the aftermath was odd at times--on the one hand wanting privacy and on the other practically pandering to have their story sold to make up the money it had cost them for PR people etc. I run the canyon where she was taken several times a week.

The thing to remember is that these cases really are a teeny/tiny percentage of child abductions/abuse. It still totally freaks me out and I do not want my child to be that one person. ugh.

[ha98ed14]

Why do so many grown women stay in physically and psychologically abusive relationships? Because they think they have no power, no control and that on some level they deserve it. These cases take it to a whole new level, but it happens every day in more houses than you think.

Exactly. This story illustrates the power than a parent can have over their adult children. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32592133...me_and_courts/

[gatorsmom]

I hope the girls weren't sexually abused too.

I imagine the kidnappers told Jaycee her family was dead and that she had to come with them. They probably told her there was no one to take care of her but them. This was the case with Stephen Staynor. He didn't leave his abductor until the abductor threatened to kidnap another little boy and he didn't want that to happen.

Imagine if you are that young and are trying to avoid more abuse. You try your best behavior on them. You don't want them mad at you. You try to be "good." Also, after some time, even the most heinous people let their guard down and show their softer side. When you are away from home, scared and afraid you try to form emotional attachments with the people closest to you. I'm sure they told her all kinds of crazy stuff like how good she had it and they were doing such a good job of taking care of her and whatever. Besides, once she had the children, I"m sure they threatened that she could never leave because the kidnapper was the father. And lets not forget the emotional attachment that forms when you start having sex with someone.... I'm not surprise she didn't leave.

Anyway, we have the Safe Side video and it's ok. I think it's too complicated for my 4yo. If anyone has some other good recommendations for younger children stranger safety, I"d be very interested.

[brittone2]

Just agreeing w/ the PPs about Stockholm Syndrome. It seems crazy that someone wouldn't fight/run, but it is apparently a pretty common occurrence in cases like this.

How awful.