According to the Child Protection Center in Jerusalem, Lag BaOmer has become an annual nightmare – it is the worst night of the year for child abuse.

The reason for this is OPPORTUNITY.

With thousands of children out-and-about, generally with minimal or zero adult supervision, often sleeping in the open, or wandering around till the morning hours – there is plenty of opportunity for perpetrators to attack children.

Here in Beit Shemesh/RBS Magen has received a spate of reports in the past days which highlight the need for increased awareness and vigilance in the community.

A girl was sexually attacked in the Nofei Aviv area.

Another young girl was stalked, and then molested on a Bet Shemesh bus.

Near Misses?

A 9 yo girl was offered a ride by an unknown man in his car to “come to a great restaurant”.

A group of boys were approached by a man in a car, offering them “free klafim”.

Two boys were approached in RBS at night by an Arab worker inviting them to come with him to a building site to “collect wood”.

B”H, in all three cases, the children knew to firmly reject the apparently generous offers, and they immediately told their parents.

PLEASE sit down with your kids before Lag Ba’Omer to calmly warn them about the nature of the risks and to give them practical tools and ground-rules.

Some examples:

1. On Lag BaOmer do not walk or hang-around by yourself. Stay at all times with one or more friends.

2. If someone who is not a part of your family or group, who is older (eg. more than 2 years your senior), even if they look frum, invites you to go with them, even to do a big mitzvah (eg. to help them with something, or to find an object or location), or with the offer of a present, firmly reject the offer and tell the person they should find an adult to help them.

3. No touching or revealing areas of your or other people’s bodies which are normally covered. Just say No and get away.

4. Tell your parents. Especially if anyone tells you NOT to tell something to your parents, you must tell your parents straight away.Your parents will not be angry with you. 

5. Fix a to-be-home-by time. There is no positive purpose in young children being out all night. Perhaps tell your kids “You can blame your parents” if they are uncomfortable leaving their group at the designated time.

It can be very helpful to roll-play, presenting your kids with various scenarios.

More information about child safety on Lag Ba’Omer: http://magenprotects.blogspot.com/2012/05/warning-for-lag-baomer.html

Wishing all our kids a fun and safe Lag BaOmer!