Predator-Proof Your Family2023-03-21T02:59:32+00:00

Daily Tip

6) Part of the “grooming” process many predators use to entrap children involves encouraging the child to develop feelings, ensnaring the young victim in a situation where the child feels that the abuse is legitimized by his or her feelings for the abuser.
This is a psychological process known as the “Stockholm Syndrome” where victims develop feelings of attachment to their captors in order to survive the situation. (As the victims mature, the affection for the abuser usually dwindles and the painful truth emerges.)

By |September 16, 2009|Predator-Proof Your Family|

Daily Tip

5) He or she often uses structured access to children.

In order to groom a child and his or her parents for the planned abuse, many child molesters operate through legitimate connections to the child that will allow for the process of time the “grooming” takes. Teaching, bus driving, sports coaching, camp counseling and volunteering to help with children’s activities, all offer opportunities where trust allows the individual in question to be alone with children with no parental supervision.

By |September 15, 2009|Predator-Proof Your Family|

Daily Tip

4) The person in question maintains few friendships in his or her own age bracket.

Because the perverted interests of a predator are so abhorrent to the general populace, there are few people with whom genuine, open friendships can be formed. He or she often appears to be a loner. Friendliness may be expressed more to children or teens who may give the respect naturally given to an adult, but so often lacking in the life of the person in question.

By |September 14, 2009|Predator-Proof Your Family|

Daily Tip

3) Someone who could be a danger to children may show a preference for association with them instead of with his or her own peer group.

If someone has molested a child, there is usually a huge self-esteem deficit and straightforward interaction with adults is too challenging and too risky. If anything said were to tip anyone off, the facade of normalcy could crumble. It’s a whole lot simpler to interact with children – and it provides opportunities for abuse.

By |September 14, 2009|Predator-Proof Your Family|

Daily Tip

2) An emotionally dysfunctional adult may pay particular attention to a needy child.

Sexual abuse is not always about sexual issues. Power can be another motivator for violation of a child. An adult who feels powerless in his or her own life may prey on the powerlessness of a child to feel the power that eludes them. Whether power issues or sexual issues, a dysfunctional teen or adult is likely to see a strong child as unobtainable, but a needy child as a more likely candidate for abuse.

By |September 13, 2009|Predator-Proof Your Family|

Daily Tip

1) If someone is a potential child molester, you may have a general feeling of discomfort in the presence of the person in question – maybe nothing you can quite put your finger on… but something’s just not quite right.

In such a situation, the observer may feel silly about having suspicions and try to put them out of his or her mind. That’s normal. But it’s also a warning light to be watchful when children are involved.

By |September 12, 2009|Predator-Proof Your Family|

Predators Live Among Us – Book Launch

Spotting Potential Child Molesters

It’s pretty hard to protect our kids if we don’t know who the potential molesters might be. The problem is that predators wear masks made to look like trustworthy, safe people.

In the course of researching her book, Identifying Child Molesters, Dr. Carla van Dam interviewed over 300 molesters who exhibited similar types of behaviors in social situations. These similar behaviors provide us with a general pattern to watch for. If an individual exhibits enough of these behaviors to arouse concern, he needs to be considered too risky to allow unsupervised around our children.

Any suggested warning signs need to be viewed within the context of an individual’s life. For instance, if someone enjoys playing with children in the company of other adults, that’s normal. If someone is a particularly helpful person but doesn’t seek out the company of children, that’s a wonderful thing. However, if combinations of the warning signs are evident, there’s cause for concern and children need to be carefully watched around these people.

Predator-Proof Your Family – Series

Predator-Proof Your Family is a series of nine, 50-page booklets on issues surrounding child sexual-abuse.

#1 Why all the Fuss?

Why All the Fuss?

#2 Who is the Predator?

Who is the Predator?

#3 Predator-Proofing our Children

Predator Proofing our Children

#4 Predators in Pews & Pulpits

Predators in Pews & Pulpits

#5 The Porn Factor

The Porn Factor

#6 It’s all About the Brain

It's All About The Brain

#7 When the Worst That Could Happen Has Already Happened

When the Worst That Could Happen Has Already Happened

#8 Smart Justice

Smart Justice

#9 The Husband I Never Knew

The husband I never knew book cover

Purchase your copies of the 9 booklet series, Predator-Proof Your Family!

Disclaimer & Copyright

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not constitute part of the curriculum of any program. The development, preparation and publication of this work has been undertaken with great care. However, the author is not responsible for consequences that may ensue from use of materials or information contained in this work. The information contained herein is intended to assist communities, churches and individuals in establishing effective response to a controversial issue and is distributed with the understanding that it does not constitute legal advice.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission of the author, the copyright owner.

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