Keeping Our Kids Safe

1) Often offend where they won't get caught - when they have misdirected people's attention
2) Often married or in relationships
3) Offend when the victim is handy
4) Not always strangers, often family members, family friends and neighbors
5) Most attracted to adults
6) Good manipulators (seduction is an integral part)
7) Overly self-indulgent
8) Arrogant
9) Sexualize, objectify women
10)Users of various kinds of pornography
11) Typically known as rationalizers, intellectualizers, justifiers
12) Great helpers - are there to lend a helping hand - prey on people in need, when they can insinuate themselves in your life
13) Use stressful and vulnerable situations to get in - they find a need they can fill and they use that to get next to the victim

In addition to sexual predators who prey mainly on women there is the "Child Predator" (truly a very sick individual) These child predators are very well known as pedophiles

1) Child Predators often share various common characteristics beyond just being attracted to children. While this list is by no means exclusive to pedophiles, most pedophiles seem to exhibit most or all of these features:

2) Low Self Esteem - The offender feels that they are of very little use to others, have no definable goals, and they feel that they are useless to society. Feelings of helplessness or hurt are common, as is clinical depression.

3) Mastery of Trauma' - This refers to the fact that most offenders were sexually abused as children, and have not received treatment. The Child Predator, by victimizing a child, feels that they have control over themselves and the situation.

4) Heightened Arousal to Children - While this is obvious, such arousal can cause feelings of alienation from society, and contribute to the offender's low self esteem.

5) Difficulty Relating to Adults of the Opposite Sex - Most offenders have very limited relationships with adult females and if they were ever married, it is only for a short period of time. Child Predators feel intimidated, often resentful, to adult females and feel more comfortable with children. When engaging in sexual activities with adults, Child Predators often use images of fantasies to bring arousal and pleasure.

6) Very Limited Social Skills - Most Child Predators have very limited social skills when dealing with adults. Adults will find the offenders 'immature' or 'weird'. The offender is more 'childlike' in social skills, finding it easier to relate to children. This is not to imply that Child Predators are stupid, which is not true, only they display limited ability to engage in 'normal' adult activities.

7) Sexual Anxiety - To a Child Predator, the notion of heterosexual adult sex is often repulsive or frightening. This can be attributed to either their sexual preference of children, or the childhood abuse that they may have suffered.

8) Unresolved Family Problems - Pedophiles often exhibit frustration with their mother, or hatred towards their father. These problems are often the contributing factor towards low self esteem.

9) Failure to Control Impulses - One of the most defining factors of a true pedophile is their failure to control their actions. As described above, the Child Predator will act willingly and purposefully on their fantasies, without regard for others safety, welfare, or consent.

10) They Will Seek Out Children - This prospect is often the most frightening. Child Predators will 'hunt' for victims. They are aggressive offenders who coldly and methodically plan and execute their offences. Pedophiles will often attempt employment in areas in which children are known to frequent such as malls, schools, playgrounds, and arcades.

11) They Feel Little or No Remorse - Child Predators often do not see the 'wrong' or harm in what they have done. Often, according to the Child Predator, the victim 'deserved it' or 'asked for it'. They absolve themselves of any wrong doing or guilt, and are not bothered by a nagging conscious. This factor is one of the most important in the steps to treating offenders, as if they feel they did nothing wrong they are guaranteed to do it again.

12) They Have a Criminal Record - Many sex offenders have come to the attention of police prior to their activities of pedophilia. Some Child Predators are arrested for offences commonly linked to Child Sex Crimes, while others come to police attention for unrelated activities such as robbery, or shoplifting. Often the crimes are characteristic of the Child Predator's limited social skills (shoplifting) or exhibit some aggressive tendencies (robbery). Child Predators who are not in high profile positions (such as priests or school teachers) are often no strangers to the police in their area.

13) They Have Done it Before... -Child Predators who are arrested will often brag to police or correctional officers that they have committed many other offences. Some offenders claim the number of victims in the hundreds. In addition to this fact, Child Predators have the highest re-offending rate of any type of offenders, often as high as 77 percent.

Aside from the physical damage that sexual abuse can cause, the emotional component is powerful and far-reaching. Sexually abused children will show major signs of shame and guilt. They may feel that they are responsible for the abuse or somehow brought it upon themselves. This can lead to sexual misunderstandings as they grow older, often either excessive promiscuity or an inability to have intimate relations.

The shame of sexual abuse makes it very difficult for children to come forward. They may worry that others won't believe them, will be angry with them, or that it will split their family apart. Because of these difficulties, false accusations of sexual abuse are not common, so if a child confides in you, please take him or her seriously.

1)Trouble walking or sitting.
2) Knowledge or interest in sexual acts inappropriate to his or her age.
3) Makes strong efforts to avoid a specific person, without an obvious reason.
4) Doesn't want to change clothes in front of others or participate in physical activities.
5) STD or pregnancy, especially under the age of 14.
6) Runs away from home.

There are also several other types of child abuse. Emotional, physical and neglect are also all signs of abuse and each have their own warning signs. Regardless of the warning signs, any type of child abuse and or neglect leave lasting scars. Some of these scars might be physical, but emotional scarring has long lasting effects throughout the individual's life, damaging a child's sense of self, ability to have healthy relationships, and ability to function at home, at school and work later on in their lives.