Reports circulating on social media that 14 girls of color had gone missing in the District of Columbia in one 24-hour period have--by now--been thoroughly debunked. But just because that information was bogus doesn't mean there isn't cause for concern for children who go missing and the dangers they face. Good, then, that D.C. police are focusing more attention on missing children cases and good that Mayor Muriel Bowser is taking advantage of that spotlight to devise new strategies aimed at keeping the District's youth safe.
The misinformation that went viral last week with hashtags such as #FindOurGirls apparently stemmed from a misreading of a new approach taken by the police department toward open missing children cases.
Hoping to raise public awareness and get the public's assistance in locating missing children, the department began posting frequent alerts with pictures of the children on social media. No question the alerts got attention, with parents packing a community forum and the Congressional Black Caucus calling on the FBI to provide additional assistance to the District.
D.C. officials were quick to point out that the number of missing child cases is actually on the decline, most of the cases involve runaways, and all but a handful are resolved. It is, though, nonetheless worrisome that since 2012, on average, 200 juveniles were reported missing per month, a situation that exposes children to harm and the risk of sexual exploitation.
"If we really want to help solve this problem and bring down the numbers," explained a spokesman for the mayor, "we have to break the cycle of young people, especially young girls, who repeatedly run away from home."
Whether the outcry over the false reports nudged formation of the group is really immaterial. What matters is that the District seems to be leading the way in trying to find solutions and invest resources in keeping families together and children safe.
Now officials need to maintain that commitment even if the spotlight moves on.
Editorial on 03/30/2017