How Pedophiles Find Their Victims

Thursday, November 1st 2007, 9:00 pm

By: News On 6

The Department of Justice estimates there are 400,000 convicted pedophiles in the United States. Pedophilia does not discriminate by race, gender, class, or age, and few pedophiles can resist their urges to have contact with children. That is why it is important that you talk to your children about the dangers they could face.

Pedophiles will go to great lengths to get contact with children, they will use lures, among other things.

Pedophiles will:

Befriend parents, particularly single parents, to gain access to their children.

Offer babysitting services to overextended parents or caregivers.

Take jobs and participate in community events that involve children.

Attend sporting events for children and/or offer to coach.

Volunteer in youth organizations, offer to chaperone overnight trips.

Hang out in places children frequent - playgrounds, malls, game arcades, etc.

Spend time in Internet gaming and chat rooms to learn the interests and lingo of youngsters.

Most victims of abuse are "groomed" over a period of weeks, months, or years. The affection lure is used to seduce unsuspecting youngsters in need of love and attention. When there's a physically or emotionally absent parent in the picture, it makes the child even more vulnerable.

Parents can't always tell who's a threat to their child because: