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"Don't Yell" = Yell!!!
"Protecting the Gift" contains several other great tips. One is a game de Becker calls, "'Don't Yell'=Yell!!!". If a predator tells a victim not to make a sound, says de Becker, he actually is saying, "if you make a sound, I'll be in danger and may get caught." So, the right thing to do is to make noise, make a commotion, scream for help.
In the movies, victims are cowered by fear of injury when the bad guy tells them to keep quiet--so they do, until the hero comes to save them. But in real abductions, says de Becker, any immediate injury is miniscule compared to what the predator will do once he gets the victim away from help.
One particular point should be noted--a child who needs to scream for help should include the phrase "This man is not my father," or "This woman is not my mother!" Passerby, seeing a kicking and screaming child, would otherwise assume the kid is just misbehaving, and the adult is the kid's parent.
It's OK to Fight Back, and to Tell Mom and Dad.
"Protecting the Gift" emphasizes an assertive viewpoint on keeping kids safe. Make sure kids know it's OK to be assertive, to scream and make noise, to tell an adult to go away, or to strike and even injure an adult, says de Becker. In effect, de Becker is saying to ensure that your kids know how to use the force continuum.Not only should a child know the available courses of action, but also the child should know that if they choose to take action, their parents will support them. If they have an incident on the way home from school, they should feel that it's ok to tell Mom and Dad.
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