If you are a missing person, someone is missing you
Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Amanda Vanstone, today announced a new campaign to encourage missing persons to make contact with their family and friends this Christmas.
"People go missing for a variety of reasons," Senator Vanstone said.
"Two-thirds of the 28,500 people reported missing every year are under the age of 18. They leave behind them parents and friends who are extremely anxious.
"This campaign encourages missing people to make one phone call to send a message home that they are safe and well."
The poster campaign is an initiative of the National Missing Persons Unit (NMPU) at the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence (ABCI), in cooperation with Kids Help Line.
A simple message will be promoted on 10,000 posters to reach youth in places like refuges, crisis centres and hostels from Cessnock to Cunnamulla, Thursday Island to Broome, Murray Bridge to Bairnsdale and Hobart to Canberra.
"If you are a missing person someone is missing you. Don't miss the chance to let them know."
"This poster speaks on behalf of families in Australia who have someone missing this Christmas," Senator Vanstone said.
"These families lives are often consumed by the need to know whether the person they love, who is missing, is safe and well."
The NMPU-commissioned research study Missing People: Issues for the Australian Community indicates that teenagers often go missing as a result of family conflict or a desire to establish independence. However over half of those reported missing to police are ‘unintentionally' missing. They simply have not kept their family informed of where they are going.
"If you are a missing person someone is missing you. I am confident that there is a significant trusted person within your family network - let them know this Christmas that you are safe and well," Senator Vanstone said.
"To all our young people, make sure that you do not find yourselves reported as missing people. Keep in contact with your family throughout the holiday period, keep them updated of any changes in your plans."
This campaign is a partnership initiative with the NMPU and Kids Help Line. The NMPU is funded by the Commonwealth Government and works with police, non-government tracing organisations, community agencies and families and friends of missing persons to coordinate and promote a national integrated approach to reduce the incidence and impact of missing persons. Kids Help Line provides a free 24-hour, confidential, anonymous, national telephone counselling service for young Australians including missing persons.
The poster campaign has been fully sponsored by Boystown Lotteries, ADHO Advertising, Harding Colour and Salmat Envelopes in Brisbane.
"It is through such generous support that these important prevention messages can be promoted. I encourage the business community to support such campaigns that can ease the burden on families of missing people waiting to know," said Director of the ABCI, Mr John Ure.