Stranger danger is becoming more of a harsh reality in rural areas.
And educators are taking notice.
There is no question that there are strange situations involving strangers approaching children at local schools, says Horizon School Division Director of Education Kevin Garinger. The division sends out communications to parents whenever an incident is reported and in recent months, four incidents have occured in the area, including incidents in Punnichy on Nov. 9, Nokomis on Nov. 14, Rose Valley on Nov. 22, and Wadena on Jan. 15.
It is disturbing, says Garinger and as a school division, communicating with the parents is critical.
“The school division is making sure that everyone across the system is aware that there is a concern.”
We are not immune to things that take place more predominantly in larger communities, says Garinger and incidents like these is a harsh reminder of that.
According to RCMP statistics, 24 complaints of both online and in-person child luring were reported to the RCMP across the province with 17 in 2017.
Staff Sergeant Rob Embree with the F Division of the Saskatchewan RCMP says that parents need to talk to their children about their safety and being aware of their surroundings.
Embree encourages everyone to take their safety into consideration when out walking, including listening to only one headphone in order hear potential dangers, walk with a buddy, and do not approach a vehicle where you do not know the person inside.
The same can be said for exploring online and parents and children have to be just as leary about who they meet online than they do in real life.
“We all do a good job teaching our kids about stranger danger. We certainly wouldn’t let them go up to a stranger in a dark parking lot and give them a picture of themselves,” says Corporal Jared Clarke, an investigator with the Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation unit. Those rules seem to be forgotten when there is a screen involved, he says.
“Just because you’re talking to someone online, they’re still a stranger.”
Clarke himself often goes undercover in online investigations, so he knows how easy it is to say you are someone else online.
There is no one app or one place children should not go online, says Clarke, but parents have to work with their children on knowing the dangers.
“Overall, it’s about building a relationship and trust between you and your kid and teaching them how to use social media and being online responsibly.”
While nothing has happened involving Horizon students, Garinger brings that back to amazing parents who are working with their children on staying away from strangers. Both Garinger and Embree are quick to note the importance of all children notifying their parents and teachers about such incidents as soon as they happen.
