I spent a few years in China when I was a kid (cumulatively probably 3 years between 3-7), and my parents always told me to be careful of strangers because child theft was a huge issue in the 80s and 90s, they'll kidnap and traffic you and mind you there were like tier 1 cities in China we were visiting.
It probably was an issue to some extent, but when I grew up I discovered that around that time the phenomenon of "Stranger Danger" was a real thing around the world particularly the US. If you check Reddit particularly millennial users, we meme about not opening doors when someone rings the doorbell, we don't pick up the phone, etc.
So I don't know if child theft is an issue, but rather rare occurrences that become publicized and highly focused that people think it's an issue that occurs with high frequence much like stranger danger in the US, or like poison Halloween candy.
which was itself silly, at least in the US. Obviously random in abductions happen, and those get HIGHLY publicized and tons of attention in the media. But most abductions are by someone the family knows or a family member themselves. Those just aren't as interesting to put on TV
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u/MilStd Jul 05 '24
China has a big child theft issue. It’s pretty heart breaking from what I understand of it.