An article brought to my attention for sharing with parents especially.
Here come the Clowns – Advice for Children
Over the past few weeks the emergence of the US based clown craze ‘Here come the clowns’ has begun to cause concern for school children around the nation. I know in my household the myths and worries have been increasing.
It is important for parents to address these myths and concerns in their children to not allow them to perpetuate.
The craze originated in the USA following the movie ‘It’. There is a long history of You Tube pranks showing adults dressed as clowns terrorising unsuspecting passers-by. It is important to remind your children that this is exactly what the craze is; they are pranks. Performed by people to scare others and gain some notoriety for doing such. They are often video recorded so that they can be uploaded on social media.
Several social media accounts have been established to document ‘sightings’. Hence the pranksters are aiming to find their place on these pages. These sights are also documenting exaggerated stories, which can cause fear in the community.
In most cases, particularly in Australia, there is no intent to cause physical harm to their victim. However, these acts would certainly cause distress to victims.
It is timely to remind your children about personal safety.
• Always advise an adult where you are going.
• Try to travel in groups of two or more.
• Clown Pranks are most likely to occur after dark, hence, walk in well-lit areas and be aware of your surroundings.
• Avoid wearing head phones if alone. These will diminish your situational awareness.
• Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong or makes you feel uneasy, take an alternative course of action.
• Tell a trusted adult about anything worrying you or making you feel uneasy. This way concerns can be elevated and managed.
The second area of concern is that some young people may be tempted to take part in such pranks.
Please remind your young person that these acts are considered illegal, particularly if weapons (even fake ones) are used to cause harm. Young people may find themselves in a great deal of trouble with the Police should they take part in such acts. Parents please talk to your young ones about the consequences of such acts.
Kristy O’Neil
Crime Prevention Coordinator
North Brisbane District Crime Prevention
