How many victims does a child molester average?
Interviews guaranteeing complete confidentiality and immunity from prosecution, conducted by Emory University psychiatrist Dr. Gene Abel*, uncovered that:
- Male offenders who abused girls had an average of 52 victims each.
- Men who molested boys had an astonishing average of 150 victims each.
- Only 3% of these crimes had ever been detected.
How do child molesters get into situations where they can exploit children?
Due to the nature of their sexual addiction, few pedophiles are able to resist their powerful urges to initiate contact with children and will go to great lengths to do so.
Common strategies include:
- Befriending parents, particularly single parents, to gain access to their children.
- Offering babysitting services to overextended parents or caregivers.
- Taking jobs and participating in community events that involve children.
- Attending sporting events for children and/or offering to coach children's sports.
- Volunteering in youth organizations, offering to chaperone overnight trips.
- Loitering in places children frequent - playgrounds, malls, game arcades, etc.
- Spending time in Internet gaming and social communities, learning the online interests and lingo of youngsters.
- Becoming foster parents.
Wouldn't a vigilant parent be able to detect a child molester, just by their actions.
Not necessarily. Always remember:
- Pedophiles are notoriously friendly, nice, kind, engaging and likeable.
- Pedophiles target their victims, often insinuating themselves into that child's life, their family, school, house of worship, sports, and hobbies.
- Pedophiles are professional con artists and are expert at getting children and families to trust them.
- Pedophiles will smile at you, look you right in the eye and make you believe they are trustworthy.
Source: Child Lures Prevention
Information on Child Sex Offenders
