The AMBER Alert Europe foundation warned on Monday that thousands of children go missing every year after fleeing unsafe family environments, urging adults to act before it is too late.
“In many cases, the warning signs are visible long before the disappearance, but the adults often ignore or misinterpret them,” said the Criminal Investigation Police in a statement, having joined the campaign launched on Monday in 20 countries and 14 languages.
The main warning signs include sudden changes in a child’s behaviour, unexplained injuries, being constantly defensive, fear of going home, or difficulty opening up about what is happening to them.
The campaign, with the slogan “our home should be a safe place”, is aimed primarily at adults who regularly interact with children and urges them to take action before the child feels that running away is the only option.
AMBER Alert Europe is the European Centre for Missing Children.
Monday marks the International Missing Children’s Day.