A missing person is a person whose disappearance from the accustomed network of social relationships, for whatever reason, interferes with their performance of expected social duties. There are a variety of causes for someone to go missing, and they range from the mundane to the tragic.
People of all ages can go missing, but children and teens are among the most vulnerable. They can become runaways, victims of family or non-family abductions or simply lost or injured for seemingly trivial reasons (such as a misunderstanding between a child and their guardian). Their absence may have profound effects on their families and the community at large.
Various charities exist to assist the investigation of unsolved cases and to provide support for the families of missing persons. These include the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK and Child Focus in Belgium. Public and private searches for missing persons may be extensive, with posters on bulletin boards, milk cartons, postcards, websites and social media sites.
While some people are apprehensive about going missing, most of us don’t. There are many reasons for people to go missing, from the mundane to the tragic: Family discontent, relationship breakdown, depression and/or addictions, mental health issues, a desire to escape domestic or foreign conflict, resentment over child custody, a desire to live free of the obligations of marriage or parental responsibility, a belief that they are being hunted or persecuted by the police or government officials or a wish to join a cult.
About the Author
