Stranger Child Abduction

Action Against Abduction’s analysis of 2011/12 crime data suggested that approximately 200 attempted abductions by a stranger were recorded by the police in the UK¹. In addition, in roughly 50 cases a stranger succeeded in taking a child; some of these abductions result in sexual assault. Given the substantial increase in the overall number of child abductions recorded by police since 2011/12 it is possible that that the number of stranger abductions may also have increased.

Action Against Abduction’s analysis¹ suggests that:

• Three-quarters of stranger child abductions are perpetrated against girls.
• Victims of attempted stranger abduction have an average age of 11 years.
• Victims of completed abduction (with a clear sexual motive) have an average age of 14 years.
• Roughly two-thirds of abductions by a stranger involve a perpetrator in a car.
• Nearly half of attempted abductions by a stranger involve physical contact. Whilst most children suffer no injury, many are grabbed, dragged or held.

The police picture of child abduction is incomplete. Surveys suggest that roughly 1 in every 100 children experiences a stranger trying to lure them away in order to do them harm². Roughly 1 in every 600 children will, at some point in their childhood be made to go with a stranger. Some will be forced to touch, or be touched by, the perpetrator³.