[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

There may have been child bullies, but there weren’t adult perverts waiting to rape, torture, and kill you. Big difference. In this violence- and pornography-driven culture of today, things just aren’t the same as they were in the 50s, 60s, or even 70s. I think it all started to change in the 80s. That’s when pornography started to go mainstream. Anyone remember Star Search and the “soft porn” model segments? I think that was the start of it.

[mysterio]

There may have been child bullies, but there weren’t adult perverts waiting to rape, torture, and kill you.

Sure there were. I was a little kid in the 80s.

I think it all started to change in the 80s. That’s when pornography started to go mainstream.

That's a pretty specific cause / effect scenario that would be difficult to prove.

I'd say that the heightened parental awareness of child abductions (such as milk carton photos, etc.) led to less kids walking to school. Probably more so than actual abductions, but I don't have the numbers in front of me, so that's just a guess.