Warning for kids on child abduction with series of sketches

With the incidence of child abductions, rape, human trafficking and abuse against children exploding in society, Sergeant Sindy Pienaar, in association with Ann Green and her Evergreen Theatre Company, organised a short series of sketches to educate children of the dangers.

The show took place at the Port Alfred High School hall on Tuesday morning, before an audience ranging in age from grade R to grade 8 pupils.

“The aim of the short plays is to educate the children about the process of abduction, human trafficking, date rape and other dangers our children can be exposed to,” Pienaar said.

The first example of abduction was performed by Zoey Peters as the child, Ben Baker as the abductor, Shimeah Baker as the child’s mother and Jessica Harty as the shop assistant, and took place in a store where the mother was busy shopping and told the child to play by herself.

Taking her ball with her, the child rolls the ball, which ends up against a grown man’s legs, played by Ben.

He picks it up and begins a conversation with the child, who then takes his hand and allows the man to take her away to enjoy some bogus activity the abductor has concocted.

“Now, what should have happened,” interjected Green, “was that the mother should have kept her child with her and guarded against her child being abducted”.

Other scenarios acted out in sketches showed babies being abducted from hospitals and young girls being fed roofies (Flunitrazepam, also known as Rohypnol among other names), a date-rape drug to incapacitate them so that they can be abducted.

With the proliferation of information on social media sites, children are aware of abductions and other social crimes, but might not always take the correct decisions when dealing with predators.

“Parents must also be aware of the type of social crimes that are currently prevalent,” Pienaar said.

Picture: ROB KNOWLES PREVENTING KIDNAPPING: That parents must be aware of where their children are at all times was graphically illustrated through a series of sketches performed by the Evergreen Theatre Company at Port Alfred High School on Tuesday. The characters, from left, are Jessica Harty as the cashier, Ben Baker as the abductor, Zoey Peters as the child and Shimeah Baker as the mother, with fellow actors Coner Hulley and Joash Lamerton awaiting their turn to perform. Azariah Lamerton, who also performed in several sketches, was not in this sketch