On March 12, 15-year-old Elizabeth Smart was returned to her family in Salt Lake City after being kidnapped1 nine months earlier. Key to Elizabeth's miraculous2 homecoming was Fox TV's America＇s Most Wanted (AMW), whose tipsters3 helped find the alleged4 kidnappers. John Walsh, the host of AMW, talked to teenagers about how you can protect yourself.
5 Expert Tips
Always tell an adult where you＇re going. “That's not because we want to ruin your teenage life,” says John. “If you're going somewhere different than what you told us, call. Almost everyone has a cell phone5. Borrow one.”
The majority of crimes against kids are committed by someone they know. “If someone makes you feel uncomfortable or tries to ply6 you with drugs, tell somebody.”
Kidnappers often use vans. “They're always saying to potential victims, 'I'm lost' or 'Will you help me look for my lost puppy?'” says John. “Don't go near that van. Just ignore them and keep going. They don't need help from you.”
If someone makes a move for you, make a lot of noise and run from it． “I've interviewed 20 or 30 girls who've gotten away from guys who've grabbed them. They've screamed and yelled, ditched7 their backpacks8 and just run.”
Look for an escape if you can—and if it doesn＇t jeopardize9 your life. “If you're been kidnapped,” says John, “and you're in the trunk of a car, look for an escape latch10. Also pull the taillights out. Police pull people over11 for technicalities12 like that.”
Fear Factor
When Elizabeth Smart finally made it home after being held captive13 for nine months, many people wondered why she hadn't tried to escape. There's no simple answer. But in horribly frightening situations like Elizabeth's, it's normal for victims to do whatever it takes to stay alive. Often that means unconditional obedience to their captors14. “ 'Brainwashing15' is too simplistic,” says Heather Krell, M.D., “but when you've lost connection with your own world...it's easy to slip over16 and try to get [your abuser's] approval.” In Elizabeth's case, her alleged kidnapper, Brian Mitchell, used fear to control her—imprisoning her in a covered ditch17 for days and threatening to kill her family. “You do whatever you can to avoid being hurt. You depend on the abuse18 for your survival,” Krell says.
Teens are even more vulnerable19 because they're at an age when they crave20 validation21 from friends, parents and teachers, so much so that they may even seek approval from their abductors22. “Teens are mature enough to have a sense of self...but are still very impressionable23,” Krell says. Recovery takes time, but opening up to friends or family is crucial. “A certain innocence and feeling of safety is shattered,” admits Krell. “ But fear loses its power when it's out in the open24.”
3月12日，15岁的伊丽莎白·斯马特遭绑架9个月后被送回她在盐湖城的家。伊丽莎白能够奇迹般地回家，主要归功于福克斯电视台《美国要犯》栏目，是该栏目的情报人员帮助抓获了绑架嫌疑人。栏目主持人约翰·沃尔什曾跟青少年谈论自我保护措施。
5条专家建议
把自己的行踪告诉大人。“这么做并不是因为我们大人要在你们的生活中大煞风景，”约翰说，“要是你去的地方跟你告诉我们的不一样，就打电话。几乎人人都有手机，借个手机。”
针对孩子的犯罪大多是熟人干的。“如果有人让你觉得不舒服，或者想拉你吸毒，就告诉别人。”
绑架者通常开着货车。“他们总是对要被绑架的人说‘我迷路了’或者‘我的小狗丢了，你能帮我找找吗？’”约翰说，“不要靠近那货车。别理他们，只管走你的。他们并不需要你来帮助。”
如果有人对你动手，你就大声喊叫，边喊边跑。“我采访过二三十个女孩，都被人抓住过，但后来跑掉了。他们尖叫，高呼，扔下背包就跑。”
尽量找机会逃跑——如果不至于危及生命的话。约翰说：“如果你被人绑架，关在汽车的行李箱，就找安全锁。还有，把尾灯也关掉。警察会因为这样的技术性细节叫人停车。”
恐惧因素
伊丽莎白被劫持9个月后终于回家了，好多人不明白她当时怎么不设法逃跑。这个问题回答起来并不简单。在伊丽莎白经历的那种可怕、恐怖处境下，被绑架者通常只能想方设法保全性命。通常这意味着只能无条件地服从绑架者。医学博士希瑟·克雷尔说：“‘洗脑’过于简单化，但如果你跟自己的世界失去联系……就很容易变得漫不经心，而且想得到（虐待者的）赞许。”拿伊丽莎白这件事来说，绑架嫌疑人布赖恩·米西尔是利用害怕心理控制了她——把她在一个隐蔽的水沟里关了好些天，并威胁要杀她全家。“你要千方百计避免受伤。你只有听人摆布才能活命。”克雷尔说。
青少年尤为脆弱，因为他们这个年龄渴望得到朋友、父母和老师的认同，他们甚至会寻求劫持者的认可。“青少年虽然比较成熟，有一种自我意识……但还是易受外界影响的，”克雷尔说。从绑架的阴影里走出来需要时间，但关键是要跟朋友或家人好好谈谈。克雷尔承认这样做多少会有损你的单纯和安全感，“不过一旦谈开了你也就不害怕了。”
1. kidnap v． 绑架，劫持
2． miraculous adj． 神奇的，奇迹般的
3． tipster n． 提供情报者
4． alleged adj． 被指控的
5． cell phone 手机
6． ply [plai] v． 硬塞，不断纠缠
7． ditch v． [口]扔掉
8． backpack n． 背包
9． jeopardize v． 危及
10． latch n． 栓；弹簧锁
11． pull sb． over 让某人停车
12． technicality n． 技术性细节
13． captive adj． 被俘的
14． captor n． 俘获／捕获者
15． brainwash v． 对…实行洗脑
16． slip over 漫不经心
17． ditch n． 水沟
18． abuse n． 虐待，凌辱
19． vulnerable adj． 易受伤的，脆弱的
20． crave [kreiv] v． 渴望得到
21． validation n． 认同
22． abductor n． 诱拐／劫持者
23． impressionable adj． 易受影响的，敏感的
24． in the open 公开的