The shocking statistics...
Every year in the U.K alone, there are around 250, 000 reported disappearances, of men, women and children, from all backgrounds and all ethnicities. In the U.S, it's nearly three times that amount, a staggering 900, 000 a year! And these cases are just the ones that are reported...
A large majority of these men, women and children are thankfully located within hours or even days, some though, are never seen again...
There are a multitude of different reasons behind these disappearances of course... From natural disasters to freak accidents (when people are alone when tragedy strikes and their bodies are subsequently never found), from mental health issues to those who craft their own disappearance to escape heavy debts or perilous situations. There are those too, who just want to simply vanish, so that they can restart their lives again with a 'clean slate'...
Some cases though have a sinister underbelly and are crafted by those who want to see someone else disappear for their own nefarious gain. Other times too, a person may have simply signed their soul over to a religious sect or organisation, consciously or unconsciously, or have chosen to disconnect with all those who knew them, as part of their new life or a cult's initiation.
Some cases though, just defy explanation, and are left a baffling mystery, leaving behind a trail of misery and chaos for those who loved them and who have to fill that emotional void when their loved one suddenly doesn't come back through that door one day...
The fictional Blake, in time, will come across every sort of case and every kind of scenario in the Missing Series as the maverick tracer seeks to bring back those who have vanished against all the odds. All my stories I hope are infused with HOPE and are written as a homage to who has loved and lost, in all its various manifestations.
In the inaugural Blake thriller 'American Crow', the hard-man tracer travels to the U.S to find a missing teenager at the behest of her distraught father, a man who has already lost a wife and has given up hope of finding his only child.
So I hope, that the Blake series may inspire you as the reader to become more aware of this very real occurrence in our strange and ever changing world, so that you can help in some small way, perhaps support and publicise any cases on-line or in the real world, that you can become more involved, if its just sending out a tweet, or giving a small donation to help some of those charities...
THOSE WHO HELP
There are many ways in which you can help find someone and a multitude of organisations and charities who work tirelessly behind the scenes to bring people back home, some of them you can find easily on the LINK page of my website, www.jacklacey.co.uk, others, publicized here where I will keep updating contact hubs as they change, internationally and nationally (U.K) as well as important numbers for you to use as well as spread the good word...
What can you do if someone's gone missing?
Use the telephone!
Missing People can be contacted directly on 116 000 if you require more information about a case, or can help in some way...
You can also contact your local police station on the 24 hour non emergency number of
101.
If you are extremely concerned for the person, of course dial 999 and ask for the Police.
People who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired can text 999 (although you must be registered to do so – see www.emergencysms.org.uk).
Otherwise, dial 101 and inform them you would like to report someone as missing. Alternatively, you can go in person to your local police station. Some people think that you have to wait 24 hours before reporting someone missing - this is not true. You can make a report to the police as soon as you think that person could be missing...
Otherwise, dial 101 and inform them you would like to report someone as missing. Alternatively, you can go in person to your local police station. Some people think that you have to wait 24 hours before reporting someone missing - this is not true. You can make a report to the police as soon as you think that person could be missing...
Alternatively you can contact the Missing Persons Bureau (UK national and international point of contact for all missing person and unidentified body investigations)
on
0845 000 5481
(or +44 (0)1256 602979 if outside the UK)
or simply email
www.missingpersonsbureau@npia.pnn.police.uk.
The Bureau can provide advice on which police force to contact or pass the information on ourselves.
You can also contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
So what about MISSING CHILDREN specifically?
Information or sightings of missing children can be reported using the free-phone number
0808 1008777
The number 116 000 can also be used as it operates across Europe and is staffed by nominated missing person charities in each country.
Twitter and other contact points to follow...
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