Fourteen-year-old Jhaneel Goulbourne, who was abducted from her home in Harbour View, eastern Kingston. - File

CRIMES AGAINST women and children have been increasing. According to police statistics, the murder of women has gone up by 30 per cent up to September when compared to the same period last year. More than 700 children have gone missing since the start of year. Some have been abducted and murdered.

Here are some tips and advice on how children and women can be protected.

Safety tips

Keeping children safe

Teach your children to walk away from a fight. Show them safe roads to use while walking to and from school. Tell them to walk in well-lit areas. Tell your children to let you know if they see anything suspicious. If you are not around, they should tell someone they trust, or the police. Teach them to call the police at 119.

Children must not talk to strangers

They must not go anywhere with people they do not know. Tell your children not to take gifts or food unless you give them permission to do so. Always know where your children are and who they are playing with. Know their friends and their friends' parents.

Tell your children not to allow anyone to touch their privates

If this happens, they must report it to an adult. Teach your children that abusers can be people they know.

Talk with your children. Learn how to listen to them. Usually, the signs of trouble are in the stories they tell.

Here are a few tips women can follow:

In light of recent abductions and rapes, by criminals posing as taxi operators, women should ensure that they travel only in legal taxis.

Women should travel in groups and plan modes of travel before going out.

Women should not use ATMs late at night.

Women should ensure their motor vehicles are parked in a safelocation where there are lights. They should ensure the windowsare up and the doors are locked when the vehicles are left unattended.

Women should limit the use of mobile phones when driving orwalking so they can remain alert it they are being followed.

A distraught policeman after one of his colleagues was killed in the Kingston 11 area. - File

CALL FOR HELP

811Operation Kingfish

311Crime Stop

119Police Control Centre

926-9579/926-9596 Anti-Corruption Unit