When thinking about perpetrators of child sexual abuse, many people picture an image of a creepy stranger. Parents and schools generally do a pretty good job of teaching their kids about “stranger danger.” But this is not where most of the danger lies. The vast majority of sexual abusers are known to the children they target, so it is incumbent upon us to teach kids not only how to respond when an uncomfortable or dangerous situation arises, but also how to recognize when danger is approaching. READ MORE HERE
Archive for the ‘Education’ Category
Parents are surrounded by messages about child sexual abuse. Talk shows and TV news warn parents about dangers at school, in the home and on the Internet. Despite all the media coverage, parents don’t get much advice about how to talk to their children about sexual abuse and how to prevent it. READ MORE HERE
HERE ARE THE MOST POPULAR WAYS PREDATORS LURE OUR CHILDREN:
Knowing the top lure techniques (as identified by the FBI) that are used by child predators will better prepare you to talk openly to your children and teach them what key phrases to look for and how to stay safe.
The Helpless Lure: This is a person who needs help carrying boxes to his car, or to find a lost dog, or lost child.
Prevention: Tell children that adults don’t ask kids for help in any way. Adults should ask Adults for help or directions or whatever they want.
The Promise Lure: This is when the predator promises to take the child to Mommy and Daddy. Or perhaps promises a surprise or candy in the car.
Prevention: Tell children that they are NEVER to go with anyone unless Mom or Dad has instructed them to.
The Gift Giving Lure: This is the predator who gives the child candy, toys, money, or other gifts.
Prevention: Tell children NEVER to accept gifts from anyone unless they received permission from Mom and Dad. This includes money from other family members (especially when the child is told to keep a secret). Tell children that we don’t keep secrets in our family.
The Messenger: This is the predator who tells the child that “Mommy was in a car accident” and the child is to go with them. Or “Your Mom called and asked me to pick you up today.”
Prevention: Tell children the names of people you have entrusted as emergency back ups. Remind them NEVER to go with anyone unless Mom or Dad instructs them to.
The Leader (Authority Figure): This is the policeman, priest, teacher or other authority figure who uses their position and suggested authority to win the child’s trust.
Prevention: Tell children not to go with anyone no matter what they are wearing or who they are, even if it means that they might get into trouble. (Many authority figures tell kids they will be in trouble, or threaten to hurt Mom and Dad if the child doesn’t cooperate).
Friendly Lure: This is the nice friendly predator who engages the child in conversation.
Prevention: Teach children not to talk to any adults they don’t know unless their parent is with them.
Playing Games: This is the predator that plays “touching games” and makes the child promise not to tell. Or other ‘games’ that the child feels uncomfortable with.
Prevention: Teach children to listen to their instincts. If something makes them feel funny in their stomachs, they are to stop, run and tell.
Too Cool: This is the person who the child looks up to as “cool.” Perhaps a friend’s older sibling, or a relative or a neighbor who has the latest video games.
Prevention: Teach children to listen to their instincts. If someone asks them to do something they know is wrong or feels funny, teach them to stop, run and tell.
The Magician Lure: This is the predator who seemingly magically knows the child’s name or other information about the child.
Prevention: Don’t put nametags on the outside of your children’s clothing, books, book bags, etc.
The Power Predator: This is the scary predator that just grabs the child off his/her bike and throws them into the car.
Prevention: This is the time when a child should fight, scream, kick, bite. Tell children that if they are on their bikes and someone tries to take them off, they should hold the bike as hard as they can while screaming, “You’re not my Mom/Dad!”
Lost Pet: This lure involves the predator asking a child to help them find their lost pet. Sometimes a monetary award may also be offered. If the child agrees, they might wander off by themselves where they are easy prey for the predator. The predator might also convince them to ride around in his car looking around the neighborhood while he drives around. Once he has them in the car, they are in serious trouble.
Mail Lure: In this lure, the predator parks near a mailbox and waits for a child to come along. When they do, he asks them to put some items in the mailbox for him. Once they get close enough to the car to take the items, they are easily grabbed and driven away.
Directions Lure: This lure is similar to the mail lure. The child is asked for directions to an address, street or business. If they don‘t get close enough to be grabbed, the predator acts as though he can’t hear them until they are close enough. By teaching our children to never get within 10 feet of an adult stranger in a car, the effectiveness of these lures can be minimized.
Handicap Lure: This is a very effective lure, even on adults. It was a favorite technique used by the serial killer Ted Bundy. This lure is effective because we all have a natural sympathy for someone who is handicapped or injured in some way. In this lure, the predator acts as though he has a broken arm or leg. He might have an arm in a sling or a fake cast on his leg. By making himself look harmless and incapable of doing violence, he gets his prey to drop their guard. Usually, they will appear they are having trouble getting a large item or several items into their vehicle. When the child gets close enough to help, they are pushed into the car. Once they are in the car, the predator has the advantage.
Bullying is unfortunately a frequent occurrence. A survey of teenagers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 20% had been the victim of bullying during the previous year, while figures collected by the Workplace Bullying Institute showed almost a quarter of employees had experienced bullying at some point in their careers. Not only does bullying have a huge emotional impact for those on the receiving end, but it can have a significant adverse effect on health, both in terms of current and future health. Beyond the injuries sustained if bullying takes a physical form, as a whole being bullied can influence everything from mental health to how strong your immune system is and whether you will develop chronic diseases in the future. READ MORE HERE
Child Molester Series 1995: Inside the Texas Prison
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, child sexual abuse is reported up to 80,000 times per year. And what’s worse – the number of unreported incidences is likely far greater. Those numbers are devastating, but one way to protect our kids is to get inside the mind of a convicted child molester and one of his victims to learn first hand how to keep our children safe. READ MORE HERE
INTERVIEW WITH A CONVICTED CHILD MOLESTER
You may have met convicted sex offender Alan X. He didn’t skulk behind bushes, instead he cultivated his victims amid their families, churches and, yes, Boy Scouts troops. This cunning sociopath manipulated and molested more than 1,000 boys by becoming their best friend. Here he turns a laser-sharp eye on himself:
“I was 7 when I first offended. I lured a boy of 5 into a storage shed and manipulated him into pulling down his pants and underpants. It was in the middle of summer, and the child was wearing no shirt, shoes or socks, so when he submitted to my demands, he was standing naked before me. Once he had stood there for a moment or two, staring at the floor to avoid my eyes, I told him to get dressed, and after bribing him to keep our secret, we left.” READ MORE HERE
The recent discovery of Amanda Berry, Nina DeJesus and Michele Knight, three young women who suffered being abducted and, according to police reports, raped over the course of the last decade by their captors draws attention to the issue of child sexual abuse in a dramatic way. However, sexual abuse of minors is frequently less apparent, because, as specialists in the field acknowledge, there is no typical profile for child molesters, and many child abusers are relatives or friends of the family. “These are ‘nice guys’ and ‘pillars of the community,’ said former supervisory special agent, FBI Kenneth V. Lanning, who is also the author of “Child Molesters: A Behavorial Analysis” – a project awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. READ MORE HERE
Many people have a limited understanding of the causes, prevention, and impacts of childhood sexual abuse, probably because it’s still a taboo subject in our culture; as are other sexual and abuse related topics. A common symptom of sexual abuse is post-traumatic stress. Be sure to visit this discussion area for anonymous accounts of sexual abuse, domestic violence, incest, drug abuse, etc.
- Can a child molester be rehabilitated?
- Do abuser’s feel remorse?
- How can I identify if someone might be an abuser? What are some identifying features?
- Why do people sexually abuse children?
- What are the perpetrator statistics on fathers, brothers, neighbors, etc.?
- How does alcohol play a role?
- What are the statistics on boys vs girls who are abused?
- For how many years does abuse usually continue?
- Is there more sexual abuse in the US than in other countries?
- What is traumatic dissociation or amnesia of childhood sexual abuse? Is it real?
- If I have memories of sexual abuse, how do I know if they are accurate?
- Does childhood sexual abuse affect adult relationships?
- Can sexual abuse make individuals gay/homosexual?
- Why do so many people who were sexually abused wait so long to report it?
- Shouldn’t adults who were abused as children try to let it go?
- If I, or someone I know was sexually abused, what can I do to help recover?
- What is it like to tell someone you’ve been abused and not be believed?
- Is it okay to give support to both the abuser and the abused in a family?
- Are there changes in laws that protect children?
- In what ways are children sexually abused? Is it always physical?
- Does pornography promote sexual abuse?
- Is there more sexual abuse than there used to be?
- I am an adult who was abused as a child, should I tell someone? Should I go to counseling?
- How can I tell if a child is being abused? Should I investigate? What should I be doing? Call the police? Question the child?
- What is the age of sexual consent? Is it sexual abuse if a brother and sister about the same age, or a few years apart engage in sexual activity? If there is a line, where is it drawn between experimenting and abuse?
- Are there national or federal laws that pertain to childhood sexual abuse?
Suicide is a major public health problem. In fact, it is a leading cause of violent death in the United States; accounting for over 34,000 deaths in 2007, the latest year for which the Centers for Disease Control has statistics available. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is not immune to the problem of suicide. At CBP, we care about our workforce. We believe that the loss of even one member of our CBP family to suicide is one too many. READ MORE HERE
Sibling abuse is any form of verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse of one child by a sibling. Most instances of sibling abuse are disregarded by adults or go unnoticed. It is typically only the most extreme cases requiring medical attention or police intervention that are reported. Many cases of sibling abuse occur “under the radar” on without parental or adult intervention. Even when sibling abuse is observed by a a parent or another adult, it is often disregarded or written off as a normal part of growing up. This tends to lead to chronic abuse problems where the victim has no recourse or refuge. However, sibling abuse is just as serious as parental child abuse and causes a great deal of harm to a victim. The damaging effects often extend long into adulthood. READ MORE HERE
Sibling Abuse – Children Abusing Other Children
Even though there can be life long debilitating psychological effects, sibling abuse may be the most ignored – if not accepted – form of domestic (i.e. sexual, physical, emotional) abuse. Why is this kind of abuse ignored or minimized? There is a lot that is swept under the rug in the guise of “sibling rivalry.” And American law does not consider this a prosecutable offense unless a child is turned in by their parent(s). In other words, parents would have to be willing to file an assault charge against their own child. So parents keep this type of abuse within the family. And a lot of the time, they even blame the victim. READ MORE HERE
Sibling Sexual Abuse and Incest During Childhood
Sibling child sexual abuse is defined as “sexual behavior between siblings that is not age appropriate, not transitory, and not motivated by developmentally, mutually appropriate curiosity” (Caffaro & Conn-Caffaro, 1998). In the literature it is sometimes referred to simply as “sexually harmful behavior” rather than abuse, but I will refer to it as “abuse” so as not to devalue the impact that this experience can have on the survivor. It can refer to abuse which takes place between brother – brother, brother – sister, sister – sister, as well as between half siblings, step – siblings, and adoptive siblings. Sexual abuse between siblings remains one of the last taboos to be addressed by society – and as such, it is rarely discussed in the media, or even among survivors themselves. It comes as a shock to many people that children can present a risk to other children, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that children (even children within families) can post a very real risk. Obviously, with this silence surrounding it, it is perfectly understandable why, if you are a survivor of sibling sexual abuse, you may believe you are the only one this has happened to. It’s not! READ MORE HERE
Abusive Rivalry Amongst Siblings
Sibling rivalry is so common and universal that most parents learn to tune it out, or at least live with it. Normal sibling rivalry is one way kids learn to negotiate relationships in the world. It teaches them how to act appropriately, what’s effective, what’s harmful, what will turn others away from them. But sometimes, the rivalry becomes dangerous to a child. When this happens, parents may not want to admit to themselves that something more serious than common rivalry is occurring. They may overlook or ignore the sense that something’s wrong. Or perhaps parents are so overwhelmed with things going on in their own lives—demanding work schedules, divorce, financial difficulties or other problems—that they’re not tuned in to the fact that a child is in danger and needs protection. READ MORE HERE
Many of us were amazed by the strength and smarts of 9-year-old Calysta Cordova, the Colorado girl who outsmarted her abductor by calling 911 and making a scene in a convenience store to call attention to her situation. You may recall that it was her next-door neighbor who abducted her when she was walking home from school. The man identified as Jose Garcia kept her for more than 24 hours. When she was rescued, she had black eyes and bruises on her face. Cordova’s natural spunk quite possibly saved her life, thanks in large part to “the fight” she said she learned from her dad who taught her how to stand up for herself. READ MORE HERE
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms = pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities (regardless of the outcome), indecent exposure of the genitals to a child, displaying pornography to a child, actual sexual contact against a child, physical contact with the child’s genitals (except in certain non-sexual contexts such as a medical exam), viewing of the child’s genitalia without physical contact (except in nonsexual contexts such as a medical exam), or using a child to produce child pornography. SEE MORE HERE
What Parents Should Know About Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse is any interaction between a child and an adult (or another child) in which the child is used for the sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or an observer. A central characteristic of any abuse is domination of the child by the perpetrator through deception, force, or coercion into sexual activity. Children, due to their age, cannot give meaningful consent to sexual activity.
Child sexual abuse includes touching and non-touching behaviors:
inappropriate touching or fondling of the child’s genitals, breasts, or buttocks
sexual or digital (with fingers) penetration
pornography (forcing the child to view or use of the child in)
exposure or “flashing” of body parts to the child
voyeurism (ogling of the child’s body)
verbal pressure for sex
Left behind and sexually abused: the peril of China’s migrant children
Six schoolgirls molested and given sexually transmitted diseases by their teacher in Jiangxi say they only want two things: They want to see their mums. And they want the man responsible for their suffering sent away so he cannot hurt anyone ever again. Those two things are “most beautiful things” they can imagine, they say. All six are “left-behind children” who have been cared for by their grandparents since infancy while their parents work in more affluent coastal cities, earning roughly three times what they could make back home. The incident has shocked the nation and served as a wake-up call about child sex abuse in the country, particularly involving left-behind children. READ MORE HERE
Bullying has long been a problem in our schools, our extracurricular programs and even our churches. Despite what some parents and teachers may claim, this is certainly not a new problem. However, advancements in technology have given rise to more sophisticated bullying.
Educators, parents and government officials are working hard to address the bullying issue, but do they really understand the extent to which cyberbullying plaques today’s students? A quick look at current anti-bullying legislation suggests that the answer is no. Research suggests that one in three kids has been threatened online at some point. Many teens and young adults have been targets of identity theft, robbed of a decent credit history before they even have the chance to get their first loans or credit cards.
Despite the concerns outlined above, adults continue to underestimate the impact cyberbullying has on both its victims and its perpetrators. There has been some effort to include this type of abuse in anti-bullying legislation, however.
Ahead of the curve on the issue of cyberbullying, North Carolina passed a law criminalizing the activity back in 2009. The law is unique in that it targets not just student-based cyberbullying, but also behaviors such as adults disguising their identities and preying on children through chat rooms. Violations of this law are classified as misdemeanors, but most convicted youths are able to expunge their records upon successful completion of parole.
New Jersey has also made efforts to curb bullying that occurs over the internet. The state encourages students to speak out, offering a crimespotters service through which bullied students can report instances of cyberbullying to the police. Known as the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, this legislation is among the toughest in the nation.
Protecting Children From Cyberbullies
While current efforts in states such as New Jersey and North Carolina are promising, many locales are not covered by sufficient anti-bullying legislation. As such, it is important for parents to take the steps necessary to ensure that their children are not victim of constant harassment. One easy way to keep children safe from internet hazards is to invest in Lifelock identity protection. Designed to prevent identity theft, Lifelock has been great for teens possessing mobile devices.
Also important is communicating with children and ensuring that, no matter what is going on in their lives, they have someone willing to listen. The United States government’s initiative against bullying suggests that parents take at least fifteen minutes each day to talk one-on-one with their children. This daily chat session does not have to always be about serious issues such as bullying; however, by keeping the communication lines open, parents increase the chances of their children approaching when there is a problem. Kids should also know exactly what does and does not constitute as bullying so that they can avoid engaging in the behavior themselves. With a combination of appropriate education, communication and legislation, this problem can be wiped out once and for all.
Pat is a tech writer from Toledo, Ohio.
Their lives are lost to nannies, which are charged with caring for them; to family members who are supposed to watch out for them; and, by parents whom they thought loved them. Who are these victims of such brutality? That’s right, the children. Whether it’s in Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, New York, or around the world; just pick up any newspaper, on any given day, and you’ll read at least one story of child-murder that will break your heart. It’s devastating when innocence is lost. It seems as if the killing of innocent children has reached epidemic proportions, with death tolls rising regularly. But what’s more alarming, is that those who commit these heinous crimes against our loved ones have little or no remorse. Strangers and family members, with the conscience of a sociopath, snatch their innocent lives away, with the ease of blowing out a candle. And it’s frightening! READ MORE HERE
Every day, out of the spotlight, children are subjected to appalling cruelty and abuse. It happens all over the globe, in every setting—public and private, urban and rural, industrialized and developing, rich and poor. In this video, Liam Neeson discusses this silent crisis and encourages everyone to become more aware and involved. UNICEF believes that every child deserves to be safe and works throughout the world to protect girls and boys from abuse and exploitation. #ENDviolence is UNICEF’s new multi-year global initiative to generate momentum in preventing and responding to violence against children. To donate or learn more, please visit www.unicefusa.org.
Most adults who were abused as children were harmed by those in their immediate family rather than by those in religious, educational or health institutions, new research shows. The findings, based on statistics from more than 3500 telephone calls to the Adults Surviving Child Abuse helpline in the past four years, quashes the perception that most abuse happens inside institutions.
They show that 63 per cent of callers said they had been abused by an immediate family member, compared to 18 per cent who said they had been abused by perpetrators in institutions. Twenty per cent of callers said they had been abused by a member of their extended family; 10 per cent by family friends and 2 per cent by strangers. Nineteen per cent said they had been abused by multiple perpetrators. READ MORE HERE
Know the Facts about Child Abuse
More than 3 million children are reported to protective service agencies each year.
|What are the types of child abuse and neglect?|
|Harm to Children can Result From:|
|Who abuses children – and where?|
|Children who are physically abused may:|
|Children who are sexually abused may:|
|Children who are neglected or emotionally abused may:|
|Remember: None of these signs prove that child abuse is present, since any of them may be noticeable at one time or another. But when they occur repeatedly or in combination with one another, the child may be suffering abuse.|
|What can you do to help?|
|To Help prevent child abuse, you can:|
So far, 15 children have died of heatstroke after being left alone in cars, this summer. More than 500 have died since 1998, and 73 percent of those cases were babies under the age of 2. Red Castle Productions has created a PSA to prevent more tragedies. In the powerful video above, actors reenact what could happen if a child is left in a car for a short time — it can take as little as 15 minutes to suffer life-threatening injuries. The video also shows what to do if you ever notice a child alone in a car. READ MORE HERE
A silent crime leading to a silent shame. Incest survivors carry deep hidden scars.
How prevalent is it? No one really knows. All survivors know is that this happens.
Survivors know it happens all too often.
There is support and hope available. The following links are only a few of many
sites which may offer to lift a survivor out of despair and into the light of healing.
Incest survivors particularly, seem to bear the shame from the abuse. Please, know
that it was not your fault. An innocent child does not bring this on themselves. You
are not excluded. Bearing the shame of someone else’s guilt is only one of the lies
given when the unspeakable act occurs.
It is not your fault. It never was your fault. It never will be your fault.
Please don’t suffer in silence anymore. READ MORE HERE
**SEE MORE RESOURCES BELOW**
On this site, you may see information about a registered sex offender who you may know or be related to, or who may live, work, or go to school near you. The information contained on this portion of NSOPW will assist you in learning the facts about sexual abuse and help you protect yourself and loved ones from potential victimization. READ MORE HERE
Shaken baby syndrome — also known as abusive head trauma, shaken impact syndrome, inflicted head injury or whiplash shake syndrome — is a serious brain injury resulting from forcefully shaking an infant or toddler. Shaken baby syndrome destroys a child’s brain cells and prevents his or her brain from getting enough oxygen. Shaken baby syndrome is a form of child abuse that can result in permanent brain damage or death. Shaken baby syndrome is preventable. Help is available for parents who are at risk of harming a child. Parents also can educate other caregivers about the dangers of shaken baby syndrome. READ MORE HERE
What Causes Someone To Molest a Child?
Focus on the cause. To do that, we must know the cause. What could possibly cause someone to suddenly molest a child? In general, sexual abusers act because they fit into one of four broad categories. They act because:
- They are children or teenagers who are sexually curious or experimenting.
- They have a medical or mental problem that needs treatment.
- They are opportunists, who lack feelings for others and who have an antisocial personality disorder.
- They have an ongoing sex drive directed toward children.
Let’s look at each category…. READ MORE HERE
In the last year, there have been more than a dozen hazing incidents around the country involving high school boys who have sodomized other boys with foreign objects, reports Bloomberg. Over 40 boys have been reported victims. Most have been younger students. There’s a dearth of data concerning the size and scope of the national boy-on-boy anal hazing problem. Astonishingly, though, a study published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence has claimed that nearly 10 percent of high school males report suffering some form of sexual assault including, in some cases, forced oral sex or rape. READ MORE HERE
With summer camp registration in full swing, parents should be wary of the individual counselors assigned to care for their offspring on a day-to-day basis, according to Yitzhak Kadman, director of the National Council for the Child. “Pedophiles often search out work with children,” Kadman warned on Monday. While there is a law stating that all institutions working with children must require their workers to provide a letter from the police stating whether they have a background in sexual crimes, many summer camps and companies that transport the children to them do not do background checks on their workers and the police do not enforce the law, said Kadman. “The problem here is twofold: first, there are no checks, and second, there is simply not enough awareness of the requirements,” he said. “Last year we took a list of summer camps and called their directors,” continued Kadman. “What we found was that 95 percent of them either did not have the required letters or they did not even know that they were required to produce such documentation. “It is very easy, all the employee needs to do is take the name and ID number of a worker and run it by the police,” said Kadman. “The police need to do what we did, go into the camps, ask for a list of workers and ask for the letters. If there are no letters then the camp [directors] must be prosecuted.” READ MORE HERE
Summer Camp Counselors: Just Who Exactly is Looking After Our Kids?
Breaking and Entering, Grand Theft Auto, Drunk in Public, Sex Offender. These charges seem like they belong to a career criminal. However, someone with this sort of rap sheet could be responsible for looking after your son or daughter overnight. Sounds scary? What if your child’s counselor was a pedophile? While summer camps provide an opportunity for children to meet new friends and gain new experiences, their counselors may also pose a danger to the well-being of your child. Let’s be honest, summer camps won’t hire just anybody. If a potential counselor looks like they may be a bad fit to be around kids, they probably won’t be working with your children. Conversely, potential counselors who are either impressive in person or appear well qualified usually get hired. Most of the time, the counselors who are hired are a great influence on children and do their jobs well. However, as the old expression says “a few bad apples will spoil the whole darn bunch.” Thus, no matter how many great counselors there are, it only takes a few undesirables to harm your child or disrupt his or her life. READ MORE HERE
Summer is Child Molesting Time: Beware of Summer Camps
Summertime is child molesting time. Summer camps are the worst. Boys alone, without parent supervision, invariably present a problem of homosexual behavior. Day camps, summer camps and any place where children are attract child molesters. Pedophiles are especially active in those jobs where little children are brought to the bathroom. Pedarests like to watch children swimming at the community pool. Summer, when children are outdoors and away from home, is a child molester’s delight. What can a parent do? First of all, you must tell your child about the problem. When you do, be careful not to make it sound too frightening or too interesting. In my house, I tell my kids about the “piggy men.” One day, a piggy man went near my son, and my son fled and ran right to me. I was five steps from that piggy men when he escaped in his car. The great strength of the piggie men is that we are ashamed and too modest to tell our children about them. Once a child realizes that “we don’t talk about such things,” the piggy man uses this to keep the child quiet. Children can be involved with piggy men for a long time because of this. A parent must therefore always be on the watch. If a child acts withdrawn or as if something is wrong, the parent has to find out. Child molesting is extremely prevalent even in deeply religious communities. READ MORE HERE
The Pedophile Effect
Summer’s here, and that means keeping your kids indoors, where it’s safe!
I really hate child molesters. Despise ’em, even. I’d love nothing more than to see them all neutered and worse. I could rant on and on about how depraved and horribly selfish it is to destroy a kid’s developing psyche for the sake of some twisted fetish, but condemning perverts does not a daring commentary make. There’s no local wing of the pro-pedophile camp that would want to write next week’s rebuttal. At least, I hope there isn’t. (If you do take personal offense to anything in the above statements, please feel free to send New Times an angry letter, I guess.) READ MORE HERE
Experts: Pedophilia cases follow predictable patterns
Ken Lanning’s college-age daughter recently suggested to him that something good may come out of the Penn State University scandal in that more people will be made aware of how acquaintance child molesters operate. He told her he was a bit too jaded to believe that. Mr. Lanning, a retired FBI profiler who wrote the analysis many police use in investigating child sex offenders, has seen all the big cases come and go. Yet each time a new one surfaces, it floods the media for a while and everyone seems shocked. READ MORE HERE
Preventing Sexual Abuse At Summer Camp: Five Tips for Parents
Every summer approximately 10 million children will pack up their clothes, bedding and favorite pillows and head off to summer camp. Most will return home with wonderful memories of new friends and fun filled days. Some will return home with devastating memories that will last a lifetime – memories of being sexually abused. According to Psychology Today, adolescents account for approximately 50% of all sexual abuse. Unfortunately, summer camp is an ideal place for abusers; in recent years, sexual abuse has occured at Christian camps, publicly funded camps, Boy Scout camps, and even the camp run by the school President Obama’s daughters attend. While no camp is immune from the possibility of sexual abuse, there are five important steps parents can take to prevent their child from becoming a victim of abuse. READ MORE HERE
SEX OFFENDER RECIDIVISM: Recidivism Among Untreated Offenders
Recidivism (repeated offenses after conviction) for most serious crimes is high. According to a U.S. Department of Justice report,46 of the more than 100,000 persons released from prisons in 11 states in 1983, an estimated 62.5% were rearrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within three years. A RAND report which looked at prison populations generally concluded that “released inmates, as a group, pose a very serious threat to public safety, but we cannot predict with useful accuracy which inmates will recidivate.” In California, the state Department of Justice concluded that “sex offenders do not differ significantly in terms of overall recidivism from most other types of offenders.” In understanding recidivism among child molesters, an important question is what level of recidivism can be expected in the absence of treatment, and whether any characteristics of offenders have been identified that predict an above- or below-average risk of recidivism. To address these topics, we must first consider the problem of measuring recidivism. READ MORE HERE
THE FOLLOWING DATA WAS OBTAINED HERE
Myth: All sex offenders are the same and they can be easily detected.
- Sex offenders are not all the same and in order to effectively respond to abusers, their differences should be noted.
- A “one size fits all” approach does not contribute to community safety, since the most dangerous offenders will often be supervised the same as low risk offenders.
- Some sex offenders prefer child victims and some adult victims. Some are opportunistic and may not have a specific preference.
- A small percentage of those who offend children would be considered “pedophiles” and would be described as having a sexual preference for undeveloped bodies without secondary sexual characteristics.
- The majority of child abusers have more of a “thinking problem” rather than a sexual preference for children. These offenders have a capacity to sexually assault children rather than having a sexual preference for children and they tend to have significant “cross over” rates, often committing rape or other types of sexual assault.
- A small percentage of those who commit sexual assault have sexual preference for sexual violence, victim humiliation and shame, which usually renders them dysfunctional under consenting circumstances.
- The majority of rapists have more of a “thinking problem” rather than an arousal connection to violence, demonstrating a capacity to rape under certain circumstances. These situational rapists tend to have significant “cross over” rates into molesting children.
Myth: Juveniles never commit sexual assaults.
- It is estimated that in the United States, juveniles account for up to one fifth of all rapes and up to one half of all cases of child molestation committed each year. (CSOM, 1999)
- Juveniles are 36% of all sex offenders who victimize children. Seven out of eight are at least 12 years old, and 93% are boys. (Crimes Against Children Research Center, UNH, 2010)
- Juveniles are more likely than adults to commit sex offenses in groups, and their victims are younger and more likely to be male. (Crimes Against Children Research Center, UNH, 2010)
- Subsequent sexual recidivism among juveniles was relatively infrequent once the offending was officially recognized. (Righthand & Welch 2001)
Myth: Sex offenders prey on strangers.
- Statistics indicate that the majority of rape victims know their offender. A 1998 National Violence Against Women Survey revealed that 76% of rapes were committed by a current or former husband, live-in partner, or date acquaintance.
- A Bureau of Justice Statistics study found 9 out of 10 rapes involved a single offender with whom the victim had a prior relationship as a family member, intimate partner, or acquaintance. (Greenfield 1997)
- For child abuse victims, 60% of boys and 80% of girls were assaulted by a family member or acquaintance. (Lieb, Quinsey, Berliner, 1998)
- “Almost two thirds of all rapes were committed by someone who is known to the victim. 73% of sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger—38% of perpetrators were a friend or acquaintance of the victims, 28% were an intimate and 7% were another relative.” (National Crime Victimization Survey, 2005)
Myth: Sexual assault offenders are very different than those who molest children.
- Several studies suggest that many offenders commit crimes of child molestation and rape.
- 64% of rapists molested children and 59% of intra-familial child abusers sexually assaulted adolescents or adults outside the home. (O’Connell, 1998)
- 32% of rapists also offended a child, 34% of extra-familial abusers offended outside the home, and 50% of intra-familial child abusers sexually assaulted adults/teens outside the home. (Weinrott & Sailer, 1991)
- Using polygraph (lie detector) verification, 82% of child abusers admitted raping adults. 50% of those who raped adults also admitted to molesting children. (Heil, Ahimeyer, Simons & English, 2003)
- These crossover studies suggest that considering managing sex offenders, allocating resources or passing laws for “only” child molesters or “only” rapists may be misguided.
Myth: Sexual offenders commit their crimes as a result of being sexually abused themselves.
- Most sex offenders were not sexually assaulted as children and most children who are victimized do not grow up to become offenders.
- Among adult and juvenile offenders (verified by polygraph examination), approximately 30% had been sexually abused. (Hindman, Peters 2001)
- Those offenders who molest young boys, however, tend to have higher rates of childhood sexual abuse. (Becker, Murphy 1998)
- Juvenile offenders were determined to have higher rates of physical and sexual abuse in their childhoods (Hunter, Becker 1998)
- This issue is important since many factors other than being abused in childhood contribute to sexual offending and prevention of sexual assault must consider those additional issues.
Myth: Tough penalties and harsh punishments are the best response to sexual assault.
- Sex offender registration, sex offender notification and increased prison sentences have not shown to be effective in reducing recidivism.
- When all sex offenders are managed the same, resources are shared and the most dangerous offenders may be supervised the same as less dangerous offenders.
- Studies show that comparing sex offenders sentenced to prison versus community sentences, the recidivism rate was 7% higher for prisoners compared to those offenders kept in the community. Additionally, longer prison terms also increased risk upon release. (Smith, Goffin & Gendreau, 2002)
- Sex offender notification and registration has not been found to be significantly effective since secrecy is such a part of sexual offending. Studies show that registration and notification have little impact on stopping offending; however, when crimes were committed, apprehension was easier. (Washington State Institute for Public Policy, Leib 1996)
- When sex offenders are driven underground (without supervision) because of harsh penalties, they are considerably more dangerous.
- When offenders are connected to their communities, when they are allowed to work and are intensely involved with a therapeutic community, recidivism was significantly reduced. (Wilson, Picheca & Prinzo, 2005)
- Since most individuals are offended by someone known to them (often in their family), harsh penalties can further traumatize victims. Sadly, others in the relationship realm of the victim and offender often turn against the person making the report.
- Even though punishment makes communities, legislatures, and many in the media feel vindicated, that response is not always shared by victims.
- Additionally, harsh penalties often make victims, or the caretakers of victims, reluctant to report and subject the acquaintance or family member to punishment, sometimes even making the sexual assault problem worse.
Myth: The majority of sex offenders are caught, convicted and in prison for a lifetime sentence.
- Studies suggest that sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes. In 2005, an estimated 60% of rapes were never reported to police. (U.S. DOJ, 2005 National Crime Victimization Study)Most advocates believe even fewer rapes are reported to police.
- It is believed that the 265,000 convicted sex offenders under the authority of corrections represents only 10% of sex offenders. (Greenfield, 1997)
- With low reporting rates, many sex offenders remain in American communities, undetected.
- In spite of harsh punishments, most sex offenders do not remain in prison and will be released into communities and will be returned to their community of conviction.
- Harsh punishments tend to provide a false sense of safety for most Americans in spite of the reality that they may not be more effective than creative prevention efforts.
- Factoring in unreported rapes, only about 6% of sex offenders ever spend a day in jail. (RAINN, 2011)
Myth: Sexual offending is on the increase.
- Despite the increase in publicity about sexual crimes, the actual rate of reported sexual assault has decreased in recent years.
- The rate of reported rape decreased by 85% from the 1970s to the present. (DOJ, 2006)
- The drop in reported rates however, must be considered in the context of under reporting of sexual assault.
Myth: Sex offender treatment doesn’t work.
- In answering the question regarding whether treatment is effective for sex offenders, several distinctions must be made.
- Treatment success rates will depend upon the (1) the type of offender (arousal rapist, incest offender, etc.), (2) the type of treatment, and (3) the management/supervision of the offender.
- Effective treatment strategies include cognitive/behavioral, relapse prevention, psycho-educational, psychodynamic & pharmacology.
- Several studies present optimistic conclusion about the effectiveness of treatment that are empirically based, offense-specific and comprehensive. (Lieb, Quinsey & Berliner, 1998)
- Even though harsh penalties for sex offenders are more common responses than treatment, studies show that community (cognitive/behavioral) treatment decreased risk more than prison treatment and more than only supervision/management of sex offenders. (Aos, Miller & Drake, 2006)
- Sexual offense recidivism rates are much lower than commonly believed, averaging between 14 and 20% over 5-year follow-up periods. Studies that have tracked sex offenders over longer follow-up periods have found that pedophiles who molest boys, and rapists of adult women, were the types of offenders most likely to recidivate at rates of 52% and 39% respectively. Repeat offenders are more likely to reoffend than first-time offenders. Those who comply with probation and treatment have lower reoffense rates that those who violate the conditions of their release. Sex offenders who target strangers are more dangerous than those with victims inside their own family. It is also important to recognize that official recidivism statistics are always lower than actual reoffense rates, because some sex offenders commit many sex crimes that go unreported and undetected. (ATSA, 2011)
- Prison sentences without sex offender treatment have not been found to reduce recidivism. (Aos, Miller, Drake 2006)
- The most effective response to sexual offenders in the community is a combination and partnership of treatment and supervision.
- Research has found that identifying youth with sexual behavioral problems and implementing early treatment is significantly effective. (Worling, 2010)
- It is also important to consider the victim’s needs in treating sex offenders. Treatment should remain innovative and victim-centered, where healing for those who suffer is of paramount importance.
Myth: Once a sex offender, always a sex offender.
- Clearly, some sex offenders choose not to change their behavior, but generally recidivism tendencies reveal promising data.
- Rapists had a 19% reconviction rate for sexual offenses and 46% reconviction rate for new, non-sexual offenses over a 5 year period.
- Another study found reconviction rates for child molesters to be 20% and for rapists, 23%. (Quinsey, Rice, Harris, 1995)
- It is noteworthy that recidivism rates for sex offenders are lower than for the general criminal population. (Bureau of Justice Statistics)
- Reconviction data suggest that sexual offenders do not necessarily continue their abusive patterns.
- Persons who commit sex offenses are not a homogeneous group and as a result, research has identified varying differences in re-offense patterns.
- Treatment has effective outcomes, especially if sexual and non-sexual recidivism is considered.
- It is also important to recognize that the medical model of “cure” is inappropriate for considering sexual criminal conduct.
OUR MISSION: To educate the public on child abuse signs & symptoms, statistics, intervention, reporting, prevention & assist victims & survivors in locating the proper resources necessary to enable & achieve a full recovery.