National Missing Persons Week
July 31st 2006 07:51
Life is a puzzle - every piece is important - Slogan for National Missing Persons Week.
People disappear for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is an active choice to run-away and escape domestic issues or financial pressures. Other times, they may be abducted, sold into overseas prostitution and slavery. And in a small percentage of cases, people may be missing due to death by natural causes, suicide or homicide. Whatever the reason, each year an estimated 30,000 people are reported missing throughout Australia.
According to Victoria Police Detective Sargeant Rick Sparvelis of the Missing Persons Unit, everyone has a right to disappear if they want to. And it’s true. There are no laws to prevent someone who actively chooses to run-away from doing so. That act in itself is not a crime.
That’s why this week is so important. The Australian Federal Police have teamed up with the NSW Attorney-General’s Department to launch National Missing Persons Week from July 31 to August 4. They are not only attempting to carry out research on missing person’s in Australia, but also are hoping to locate those who are missing by encouraging them to present themselves to police.
Why would missing persons turn themselves in? The truth is that some of them will not be affected by this initiative at all. But others, who know that there might be someone out there who is worried and upset by their disappearance, will present themselves to police to confirm they are alive and have been located. No details of their location will be revealed to any 3rd parties without their consent. The only information that will be divulged is that the missing person has been located and is thus no longer on file.
If you are a missing person or have information about someone who is, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
www.morguefile.com
People disappear for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is an active choice to run-away and escape domestic issues or financial pressures. Other times, they may be abducted, sold into overseas prostitution and slavery. And in a small percentage of cases, people may be missing due to death by natural causes, suicide or homicide. Whatever the reason, each year an estimated 30,000 people are reported missing throughout Australia.
According to Victoria Police Detective Sargeant Rick Sparvelis of the Missing Persons Unit, everyone has a right to disappear if they want to. And it’s true. There are no laws to prevent someone who actively chooses to run-away from doing so. That act in itself is not a crime.
That’s why this week is so important. The Australian Federal Police have teamed up with the NSW Attorney-General’s Department to launch National Missing Persons Week from July 31 to August 4. They are not only attempting to carry out research on missing person’s in Australia, but also are hoping to locate those who are missing by encouraging them to present themselves to police.
Why would missing persons turn themselves in? The truth is that some of them will not be affected by this initiative at all. But others, who know that there might be someone out there who is worried and upset by their disappearance, will present themselves to police to confirm they are alive and have been located. No details of their location will be revealed to any 3rd parties without their consent. The only information that will be divulged is that the missing person has been located and is thus no longer on file.
If you are a missing person or have information about someone who is, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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