Roughly 1 in 6 of the approximately 600,000 people who go missing every year are never found, according to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center.

But contrary to the scary headlines, only one out of 10 missing people are victims of violence, according to a University of North Texas Health Science Center study, which looked at 34,507 active missing persons cases in a database maintained by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

NamUs is an arm of the U.S. Justice Department that works with law enforcement agencies and families to help document and find missing, unidentified and unclaimed people.

The study, which only looked at cases in which gender could be identified, found about 56% of those missing as of Oct. 25, 2020, were male, and roughly 12.7% of missing women had experienced violence, compared with 8.4% of men.

A third of the missing persons were under age 18, the study said.

What to do if a child goes missing

The first 48 hours are critical when someone goes missing, and the first step is to contact the police department or sheriff’s office, according to the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

The agency has a checklist online to help families whose children go missing.

If your child has gone missing at home, experts advise checking places where they might hide, such as closets, beds, large appliances, piles of laundry, and vehicles.

If a child goes missing in a shop or restaurant, alert the manager or security officer, so they can activate Code Adam emergency procedures, which include locking exits and calling police.

Don’t touch anything in your home or the location where the child was last seen in order to preserve evidence, and collect electronic devices that the child may have used to help with the investigation, experts said.

How to help police find a missing child

▪ Provide an up-to-date photo that shows how your child typically looks and dresses. Avoid school portraits, and choose photos that you’re comfortable seeing in the media and online.

▪ List friends, relatives and others, such as teachers, who regularly interact with your child, their addresses and phone numbers.

▪ Provide detailed information about any medical, social or behavioral conditions, any changes in their behavior, and problems with your child or in your family.

What if a teenager or adult is missing?

There’s no waiting period for reporting an adult who may be missing, but the law enforcement response may be limited, because people who are 18 and older have the right to move freely and even break contact with family and friends.

If you get opposition, ask to speak with a supervisor. Be polite but insistent, says The Center for Hope, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Otherwise, follow the same steps recommended for missing children, such as providing information about their appearance, clothing, and medical, mental or behavioral issues.

Experts also recommend:

▪ Trust your instincts

▪ Reach out to the person’s friends in a text or through social media

▪ Give details about any bank or credit cards to investigators, and any vehicles the person might be driving, including whether the vehicle has GPS or onboard navigation systems.

Other resources for locating a missing person

▪ Ask police to enter the person’s name and information into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center Missing Person File.

▪ If your child is missing, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678). The Runaway Safeline provides help for teenagers and their families, including 24-hour referrals to community resources, at 800-RUNAWAY.

▪ Create and post missing person flyers asking for information.

▪ Ask friends and family to share information and photos on social media, or create a Facebook page. Contact local media.

Can cell phone tracking find a missing person?

If you have access to the missing person’s cell phone account, you can check their phone records or use the “Find My iPhone” app on Apple devices and the “Find Your Phone” app on Android devices. But someone’s cell phone data and text records are usually available only to police and require a warrant or court order.

Other apps can be installed in a person’s phone in case of an emergency, including the Life360 Family Locator, a GPS-based app that works with Android phones, and FamiSafe, which works with a variety of platforms and is designed for parents.

Over 700 people are missing in North Carolina. This event could help their families.