Just a couple of ideas to consider, child or even an adult:

1. Stay in a public place in sight of people. DO NOT go off with a stranger no matter how nice, interesting, helpful or whatever they say. Just say no. OK to talk to them, but don't go with them.

2. In an urban setting, go into a busy store and ask the employees for help. If they can't or will not help, ask a customer in sight and hearing of other customers. Observe rule 1; don't go off alone with a stranger.

3. It is OK to call the police/fire department/EMS, or to have someone call them for you. They need to understand that they will not be arrested or get into trouble. I don't think there is a LEO, firefighter, or EMT who would get angry at a lost child who needed their help to get home safely. It is OK to go with the police/firefighters/EMT IF they are in uniform and in a marked vehicle. This is the only exception to rule 1. No "undercover" police need apply.

Hope these ideas might be helpful. They are not original to me. Mom and Dad taught me them in the 1950s.

my background is with adolescents (14 -17 year high school students) older than those in the OP's discussion...but the problem persists with them also... situational awareness education is not included as a measurable academic standard, and should be...

I see three common manifestations...peripheral vision blocking "hoodies", the ever popular music ear phones (ear bud) and the current "texting" phenomenon... they become self absorbed, and oblivious to personal danger ...we had several near accidents in the parking lot at school dismissal... inattention by both drivers and walking students

I included the OODA loop as part of my decision making curriculum

Still shaking from the horrible story, but here is my idea of "agreeing" to something like this. I would tell the kid (OK) but will (a) ask him to put a whistle in his pocket and (b) I will remotely accompany him . I would walk on the other side of the street some 30 yards behind him.

May not be ideal and maybe seen as "overly protective" but for a 9 year oild, and first time, that is how I do it.

That is what I did for example when my then-14-yo son asked to do some electrical wiring. I let him do it while I was watching. Now he does it alone.

Sometimes my younger son (who is rather aggressive and loves driving but smaller in size) asks to go somewhere. I OK that, but ask him to take his older brother, who is less aggressive, but taller. It provides the younger one some protection, while it exposes the older son to some life realities.

Only a parent can be the judge of their childs maturity level. I have seen teens who are oblivious to their surroundings, and I have also seen 9 and 10 year olds who are surprisingly astute.

My son is now a military policeman and daughter is a pre-med student. They are both very aware of their surroundings. We started early and discussed these issues with them eg: What would you do if a stranger said "Your mother is in trouble and she asked me to bring you there". Or what would you do if a stranger tried to touch you? Are there some places you should not go alone? etc. You don't have to go into the grisly tales of the abductions, as 'they might try to take you' will probably be sufficient motivation.

We still discuss current events and situations with the college age daughter, but the son carries a rifle and a pistol, an asp and mace with him at work and faces different kinds of danger. The daughter is not paranoid, but very aware and always keeps her car door locked and the tank full, and has a cell phone, mace (in hand), and a whistle with her when walking the campus.

When my kids were younger, they took part in a Jui Jitsu class that had a really good self-defence component built into it.

They did do standard Jui Jitsu curriculum & played games, but also covered things like:

• Defence techniques to avoid being carried away; first running away, but then things like dropping to the ground 'turtle-back' & kicking, using legs to push off & avoid getting forced in a car, 'computer' stuns, etc. When doing this they were taught to yell "This is not my parent" to help any bystanders realize this isn't just a kid throwing a tantrum.
• Review of common lures used by predators; this included an oft repeated "adults don't ask kids for help, adults ask adults for help."
• Who to ask help from; safe strangers.
• How to call 911.
• To flood a sink if trapped in an apartment bathroom.

Those are some of the things that stick out in my memory at least.

Eons ago, a LEO gave a talk at my grade school about strangers. He said the most common way to get a kid to go with you is to use a puppy or kitten as bait.

They don't even need to have one with them, they ask if the kid wants one. He's got too many, he's going to take it to the pound where it will be put to sleep, they're really cute, take it home and see if your mom will let you keep it, etc.

And I wouldn't be surprised if it's still the path of least resistance. Give your kids examples of how a stranger might approach them. Just like thinking about how you would get out of different survival situations, get your kids to think.

And make them understand that if someone does grab them, to hit, kick and bite as hard as they can; don't be afraid to hurt a kidnapper! Girls, esp, used to be encouraged to be 'ladylike'. Even now, many women really hesitate to fight back because of that indoctrination. Stupid, isn't it?

Sue

"hit, kick and bite as hard as they can", In my family, that IS ladylike!