In Australia, more than 38,000 people are reported missing each year.
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While most are found within a short period of time, there remain thousands of people who never come home.
A missing person is defined as anyone who is reported missing to police, whose whereabouts are unknown, and where there are fears for the safety or concern for the welfare of that person.
A long-term missing person is someone who has been missing for more than three months. Nationally there are more than 2,600 people listed as a long-term missing person. More than 260 of these people went missing from NSW, read their stories in the gallery above.
According to the Australian Federal Police anyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or educational background, may become a missing person.
These people who vanished are the focus of Missing Persons Week, which kicked off on Sunday.
If you have information about a missing person, please do the right thing and contact NSW Police.
Missing Persons Week is an annual national awareness campaign. It runs between Sunday August 4 and Saturday August 10.
Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000
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