...But one question that is not asked / answered in the Facts list is if it is more common for abused children to become withdrawn and if the opposite also is true, where a child might become overly friendly?
You made a nerve twitch inside me on that one...
I myself was a child traumatized at the age of 1 by seeing my 6'4" dad beat my 2 year old brother so bad he broke his nose. There was blood all over the house. To this day, it's caused me to pass out from the site of blood. I've even had help to figure out what caused this. A professional (who was actually a close friend) as well as a book I have on my shelf "Unlocking The Secrets Of Your Childhood Memories" have both helped me realize my fear of blood was caused by the trauma I endured at age 1. So, from that day on, I've always had "issues" with male authority figures, especially if they are bigger than me. I know, it may sound weird. But I just can't get some fears out of my mind. BTW, after my mom gathered us kids up and went to the hospital, the hospital called the police, who came and took a report. Mom then got a restraining order because she feared dad, and filed for divorce. It's a long, drawn-out story but needless to say, I was placed in a foster home at that time, as were my 2 year old brother and 3 year old sister.
After being tossed around from foster home to foster home (I only remember 5, but my sister thinks it was more like 7) until age 8, I came home to my family. That was when my living hell started...
Mom beat us with Hot Wheel tracks, coat hangers, yard sticks, belts, or whatever else she could find. And her boyfriends and their buddies thought it was funny to watch us kids get drunk, so I was introduced to beer at age 8. Lovely. I was an alcoholic before I entered 3rd grade!
So, in case you haven't guess my point here (I tend to ramble, sorry) I lived my life being a loner, filled with feelings of being unloved, unwanted, unappreciated, and live my life as a loner who usually spent all my time by myself. I had very few friends. I was very withdrawn and isolated.
At age 14 I was introduced to a child psychologist/counselor when I got locked up for getting into trouble. That woman changed my life forever. The first thing she pointed out was that I was ALWAYS looking down, and I never looked anyone in the eye, especially adults.
Okay, I'm rambling again. Your statement quoted above reminded me of one thing that sounds like what I went through...
Where I became overly friendly and craved attention and affection was from adult females. I still feared grown men, but my heart cried out to be loved and appreciated by adult women. I was looking for the love I had missed out on as a child. I just wanted someone to accept me and not abuse me.
Sorry if this seemed a bit O/T, but how I wanted it to relate to Lindsey is only that perhaps she experienced the same emotional issues that I had as a child. Heck, when I was 10, I was drinking for 2 years and just started smoking. Hey, I had to be "cool" and thereby (I thought) make friends. But I longed for attention and affection. Maybe Lindsey felt the same way. Maybe she was drawn to a certain person who might say just that one right thing that melted her heart and made her immediately feel she had made a new friend. She might have trusted that new "friend" (stranger) enough to get into a vehicle.
I am NOT assuming or insinuating that Lindsey was EVER abused at home, either physically or emotionally. Let that fact be known now and forever.
I'm only saying, again because of your comment quoted above, she MAY have been drawn to something a certain person might have said to her, and therefore trusted that person enough to make a bad split-second decision that she later regretted.
When I was Lindsey's age, if a pretty female approached me and said something like "Hello, young man. Boy, aren't you just a cutie! I always wished I had a son like you. You look sad. Can I buy you a hamburger or something. Do you like kittens? I have several at home and you can take your pick and have your own kitty... (and so on and so on)", I would have most likely jumped right into her car and drove away with her!
Okay, sorry about all my whining about my past. I just had a point here and hope someone figured out what I'm trying to say.
:waitasec: