The issue of missing persons in the UK has prompted calls for new legislation to address the problem, according to a Labour MP. The Mirror, in collaboration with the charity Missing People, launched the Missed campaign earlier this year to spotlight the 170,000 individuals who go missing annually in the UK, equating to one person every 90 seconds.
Advocates of the Missed campaign are urging for a revised approach to handling missing persons, increased resources for prevention, and enhanced support for those who return after being missing. At a recent event held during the Labour party conference in Liverpool, attendees listened to the experiences of mothers like Nerissa Tivy, who faced challenges when her son went missing, and Vandana Bhogowoth, whose son Deante James was found after being missing for six weeks due to a police error.
Michelle Welsh MP, chair of the APPG for missing children and adults, has emphasized the need for new laws to prevent similar incidents in the future, emphasizing the importance of accountability and a comprehensive government-led strategy involving the Home Office, Education, and Health departments.
The current lack of support for missing persons and the recurrence of disappearances underscore the urgency for proactive measures to address this crisis. The campaign is pushing for government action, aiming to trigger responses and debates by reaching signature milestones through a petition.
The call for new legislation stems from the belief that vulnerable individuals should not be neglected or overlooked, and that proper measures must be in place to prevent such occurrences. The significance of listening to mothers’ intuition and experiences was highlighted, emphasizing the need for a more responsive and accountable system to address missing persons cases effectively.
Statistics show that a significant number of people go missing each year in the UK, with most returning home without extensive public appeals. The role of the Missing People charity in supporting families and coordinating missing appeals was also emphasized, underlining the importance of official channels and privacy considerations in sharing information about missing individuals.
The Mirror’s Missed campaign aims to shed light on missing persons cases, emphasizing the value of every individual’s life and the need for a coordinated and effective response to such incidents.