Police recently arrested a man in connection with the series of attacks. He has since been charged with kidnapping and raping 13 girls since 2008. The suspect is a 42-year-old married Saudi schoolteacher with five children.
"Saudi Arabia is one of the safest countries and honestly I feel like Jeddah is one of the safest and most peaceful cities compared to what goes on in the Middle East or in big metropolitan cities globally. But recent cases of kidnap and rape have ignited fear in the minds of many parents, including myself," Kholoud Samarji, a 44-year-old mother of two, told Arab News.
Many residents believe that most rape cases go unreported because of the belief that such incidents would damage the affected families’ honor.
"In most cases where a rape has taken place, the family tries to suppress the matter because it will give them a bad name. People will try and preserve their reputation rather than report a case where a female member has been abused," said Salma Shukar, a 37-year-old HR manager in Jeddah.
She believes people should be more culturally and morally aware and respond appropriately to incidents they feel threaten society, as that can help crack down on crime and prevent further exploitation of women and children.
On Thursday a 12-year-old Saudi boy who reportedly went joyriding with a friend in Qassim got injured in the process. He later claimed he was kidnapped and injured when he was forced out of the car.
Claiming a ransom, making a political statement, vengeance and sexual motives are often the reasons why kidnappings are carried out.
Children are seen as easy victims and an increasing rate of child assaults recently have proven they are prime targets.
A kidnapping often involves meticulous planning, taking into account the victim’s likely whereabouts.
Police advise that an adult should accompany children under 13 to school and back to protect them. When dropping and picking up students, monitoring posts should be set up and if possible with cameras. Most parents urged authorities to conduct awareness programs to educate students and parents.
"They can educate us on using the best preventive methods, and explain the security system in schools. When we drop our kids to school, it is the school's responsibility to take care of them. What happens after school is the parents’ liability," said IT worker Saad Hatem, 28, living in Jeddah.
Identification cards can be allocated to drivers or whom the parents authorize to pick up their child. The school in turn should verify their credentials. Schools can devise a system to report unexpected absences of students and contact parents if these are repeated.
Some parents also enroll their children in self-defense classes. "I send my daughters to learn taekwondo and other martial arts for self-defense. They should be prepared and not be afraid to defend themselves. I want them to be well-prepared," said Zainab Basher, a 40-year-old mother of four girls.
"We cannot all be together all the time. My daughters on several occasions encounter malicious men, and I want them to be able to take care of themselves, not rely on others."
Most Saudi families who can afford domestic help and nannies make their maids and drivers escort their children to school. But parents who cannot afford this luxury said other preventive methods should be adhered to in order to keep children safe.
"You should keep an eye on what's going on around your child. Make sure you are in contact with them and they are given guidelines that they must follow. If my son has not checked in after 1 a.m. I call him. It is your duty as a parent to ensure you do not let lapses endanger your child's growth," said marketing manager Mahmoud Abbas, 35.
It is advisable to never leave children unattended or out of sight in public places. Parks and shopping malls are especially high-risk places.
"This is the case especially in cars with the keys still in the ignition. If anyone sees a parent leaving their child unattended in unsafe circumstances, we should approach them and let them know. There are no programs or education on these matters, so we should do the best we can," said housewife Bana Mohammed, 42.
In most cases, a personal security alarm can be fixed in homes in case of a break-in. Some parents use a GPS child-tracking device.
Faisal Badar, head of security at a girls school in Jeddah, said: "I have to ensure that every girl gets into the right car. Sometimes men try and give their numbers out but I make sure they disperse without causing chaos. I know drivers by face now and in many cases I confirm with the girls if they know the driver they are going with.”
He claimed most men who are rather old and roam in expensive cars “probably have daughters the age of the girls they chase.”
