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The Child Predator:
Kids On The Menu

Child predators are real-life monsters that haunt children in the daylight hours. They feed on exploiting or abusing kids for their own sexual satisfaction, using anything from child pornography to prostitution, mere fantasies to actual rape.

They used to stalk the shadows, afraid of being caught molesting or kidnapping a kid. But recent statistics show that those days are coming to an end. Predators are getting smarter and bolder.

The Abductor

Abductors aren’t usually the forceful stranger who kidnaps kids in old vans with tinted windows. Oh no. Their relationship to the child is their best cover.

Abductions happen midday and people don’t even know what’s happening – sometimes the kids don’t even realize it at first! A large reason for that is again because the child knows the abductor and doesn't suspect anything. Actually, most kidnappings are parental abductions...

...don't be fooled. These can be very dangerous for the child.

The number of missing kids has more than quadrupled since 1982, and it continues to rise. Law enforcement is overwhelmed with not only finding the children, but finding the perpetrator and prosecuting them.

Abductors can be just as hard to find as the missing child.

The Child Molester

Most molested children don’t go missing at all. Their perpetrators are usually people the children know and trust rather than a stranger.

In fact, there are so many child molesters now that they are actually divided into two different categories. When I first learned this, I was shocked! Does there really need to be a distinction? The sad truth is – yes.

The situational child molester is sexually abusive in nature toward people, regardless of age... and happened to get caught sexually abusing a child.

The preferential child molester is a pedophile acting on his fantasies. He sexually prefers children as opposed to adults. He got caught raping or sexually exploiting a child.

Both are very dangerous, but preferential child molesters are significantly worse.

A pedophile is different in some ways. He has not been convicted of molesting a child and therefore cannot be technically labeled "child molester".

The Pedophile

Pedophiles are even more complex. To be diagnosed with pedophilia, you have to meet high criteria. By definition, they aren't even criminals. And when it comes to recognizing one... well, that’s a hard one. Even though pedophiles share some general characteristics, recognizing one is nearly impossible.

A better bet is to make your child less vulnerable to pedophile tactics. But even that can be a real challenge. Why? Because pedophiles are more discrete than they have ever been.

On the other hand, pedophile organizations and advocate groups audaciously declare war on laws protecting children. They demand legislation in favor of adult-child intimacy. They claim that society is holding kids back from their full sexual potential.

Pedophile sites flaunt subscriptions to newsletters dedicated to becoming the next get-out-of-jail-free card and a quick ticket to accessing vulnerable children. The number of these online child predators has grown far out of control.

Now we find more and more female pedophiles emerging from the shadows. Peter Hampton, the founder of Web Police says they receive more than 200 reports everyday of women pedophiles on the internet alone...

...and their numbers are growing fast.

What Do We Do?

Get informed. When we are aware of the complex issues, statistics and tactics, we have a chance to recognize red-flags in our children’s lives.

We can also check the map of registered child predators - convicted pedophiles and child molesters - so we can find the potential threats in our own neighborhood.

But I want you to remember one important thing: Registered pedophile lists are not always up-to-date and certainly not all-inclusive. Does that surprise you? It surprised me!

But I guess it shouldn’t have. Like I said earlier, they are getting smarter.

As parents, we must be smarter.

We have to be one step ahead of the assailant so our kids don’t fall into their hands. It is time to arm ourselves - and our children - with knowledge about child predators, and deprive these vultures of their favorite prey... our kids.

Return from Child Predator to Child Safety for Parents.

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