What is the best way to protect your children from abduction or worse, child molestation predators?

I agree with you 100% !!! Stay informed and talk loud and clear with our children about the dangers!  We just recently moved to a new state where we hardly know anybody yet.. new neighbors, new elementry school, new everything!  The other day our 7 year old daughter was playing with our neighbor girl who is also 7, and she told us that she had supper at their house!... without our permission or knowledge until after the fact!  We don't know these people well at all, they have our number and know where we live, yet they didn't call! That really bothered me.. and showed me how vulnerable a child can be. At the risk of sounding over protective and paranoid, I thought to myself.. what if they would have drugged her, and taken her somewhere else!  I felt so guilty and responsible for not teaching my child how important it is not to accept food and candy from strangers!  Especially without asking us first.

Everything turned out to be innocent enough, but it opened my eyes to the communication that needs to be developed NOW between my husband, our daughter and me on a daily basis.

Our next idea is the Martial Arts!!! 

I talk to my children and quiz them on what to do it someone they don't know comes up to them. Let them know the dangers and that you are always here for them no matter what anyone tells them. A good site I like is http://www.familywatchdog.us/ and http://www.esorn.ag.state.oh.us/Secured/p21_2.aspx

I was also shocked to see that there are sex offenders that live less then a half mile from schools.

Living in a state of fear, and making your children live for fear of their own shadow is not very realistic. Yes their are bad people in this world. The tried and true statements of:

1. Never take a ride from a stranger

2. Never accept candy from a stranger without permission.

3. Be careful and don't stay out late at night.

There are other rules, but don't overdo it with your kids. Being informed doesn't mean  that they have to look over their shoulder at every turn. The media I believe is also to blame for instilling a greater fear.

I'm just an amateur with no kids, but please do one thing that I have seen cause a lot of kidnappings of kids.  Don't let them walk the two blocks or so to the 7/11, preferably at all, even with some other kid.  Drive them or walk ten steps behind them (14 year olds will demand this) but the creeps all watch those stores for just this sort of reason.  Never let them walk anywhere at night, even I don't and I'm an adult woman.  Take a little lip from them if necessary to keep them.  Better in your car, a lot better, than in someone else's.  Also watch out for fathers who are willing to drive your female babysitter home.  Go get her.  Fun, huh?

Pray hard. Instill your children to urgency.  Make sure all your stock is accounted for at all times.  Negligence is huge with your marraige; more so with your children.  Abductions are completely avoidable as much as death is.  If we want to live long we follow the rules; otherwise expect bad things to be coming on the horizon.  Life is reality.  Evil is all around us.  Good is hard to come by.  G-D exists in all things.  Take care.

Remember to tell your children that if by any chance they should become a victim of abduction that the best defense is a good offense. Child molesters hate to be seen by others, therefore if any child is painfully obnoxious to them (child molesters) by yelling, screaming, kicking or punching the groin of the would be molester they may abandon the child. The child should make as much commotion as they possibly can, attracting the attention of others. Also, tell your kids that they must stay within a group of other kids. The thing about the little 7 year old girl from northern Florida was that she was alone, making her a perfect target. I cannot emphasize enough, kids have to be aware of their surroundings, and must never walk alone, even if they're with one other, that's twice the noise they can make.