Is there a child molester in your neighbourhood?
July 31, 2007
Protect Your Kids Online with the CD from renowned safety expert Samantha Wilson.
I have long been a supporter of and subscriber to, Samatha Wilson’s (Kidproof Safety) work. Even though she operates in the USA and Canada, her safety tips, trainings and teaching media can be used anywhere in the world. Samantha’s following plain speak newsletter article (subscribe to this, it is worth it) from Kidproof Safety (Kidproof NEWS July 30, 2007) is an example of why I encourage Samantha’s parent focused approach to keeping kids safe from sexual predators:
Help! There is a child molester in my neighborhood.
I was recently a guest on Sean Matthews radio show on KVCE 1160 Am Radio Dallas TX, to talk about an arrest of a registered sex offender who had allegedly molested a neighborhood girl.
Parents are often shocked to read or hear about a recent arrest of someone in their community who had committed a terrible crime against a child. Naturally, they wonder how safe their communities really are.
Over the years, I have been asked by parents if there was a way that they could find out if a child molester or dangerous person is living within their communities. In the USA, there are a number of websites that you can search by name, city, county and location as well as go to your local police department’s web site. However, in Canada, we do not have the access to the same detailed information.
I hate to say it, but most often in Canada you can’t find out, unless your local police department decides that an individual poses a heightened risk to your community. If they do, then they will tell you about it. If they don’t, you will never know. This is a perfect example of how the bad guy’s right to privacy often outweighs children’s right to safety.
You can call your local police service and ask them if they have released information about any child molesters in your neighborhood, or even check their web site. Many police departments post current high risk or wanted offenders regularly.
But in any case, regardless if you have frequent access to detailed information, don’t just focus on the “identified child molesters.” Child molesters have an average of thirty prior incidents before they are reported for the first time.
Instead, pay attention to everyone in your neighborhood and especially those that are close to your family and kids. Don’t be paranoid, but be aware that child molesters are skilled manipulators and are often the “nice guy” in town.
Talk to your kids about personal safety, and teach them to always trust their instincts. Make sure that you keep the lines of communication open. If someone makes your child feel uncomfortable, and they are confident that you will listen to, and validate their feelings, they will tell you about it.
Comments
3 Responses to “Is there a child molester in your neighbourhood?”
Got something to say about the above post or child safety in general?
Copyright © 2007 
We can’t predict who would be the child molesters to-be (sometimes they are the least suspected) and I believe the best way protect our kids is to create awareness in them. What to watch out for and what to do when there’s a child molester around.
What do you do when it’s a family member of your own? We have reported him to the police and he’s under surveillance but until a neighbour or someone reports him or makes a complaint about him, the police will do nothing. We reported him because of things he did over 12 years ago but we only found out in 2006. We were shocked and very upset. But because we have no proof that he is still continuing these acts we cannot have him charged. The children he did this thing to all those years ago are now adults and they just want to get on with their lives.
Hi Abel and Amy
many thanks for your comments. I must apologise - I have been so busy the last two days that I am behind on my comment responses and visiting the sites on my blog roll.
Amy you raise a very important question. Did you know that approximately 85% of sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone well known to the child - most often a family member! The old Stranger Danger teaching is a myth. I call watching out for those in our homes, “Relation Sensation.”
Depending on where you live in the world, the statue of limitations changes for reporting past abuse and having abusers charged. In Australia, historical cases as you mention are investigated and offenders can be changed and sentenced.
In your instance, where I am assuming that you fall outside of the statute of limitations, I would say that honesty is the best policy. Have open family discussions so that everyone knows that he allegedly (this is important because he has never been charged) sexually abused some family members. Everyone in the family should protect their children and visitors from him.
Your other frustration re police just waiting for something to happen is something I hear so often. People won’t talk until we all start talking about this. We have to make it daily conversation - not something hidden, seedy and second rate. That is why sites like yours and mine are so important. We need to give people opportunities to talk about what happened, who did it and their fears/suspicions about different people.
There is no shame in having been abused by a person who was supposed to help and protect you. There is every shame is us not protecting our kids.
I’m going to add you to this blog roll Amy so that I can visit you every day. You may need to update my address on yours too. You have the old address that is no longer blogged to.
Do you also know about our Safety Talk forum? We have parents and workers discussing all manner of issues that affect kids (of course my favourite is child sexual abuse but others discuss other things too).