Child Abuse and Molestation- Identify Molestor Behaviors

[Granny B]

CHILD MOLESTATION
   

Child Sexual Abuse includes any sexual behavior or activity that is abusive toward another, a minor, and/or prohibited by state or federal law. Fondling, oral sex, simulated or actual intercourse, exhibitionism, taking sexually explicit pictures of children, showing sexually explicit material to children or having sex in front of a child are all considered child sexual abuse.

   Most child molesters are able to molest dozens of children before they are caught. Boys and girls are at nearly equal risk to be abused and almost a quarter will be molested sometime before their 18th birthday. Most children do not tell anyone, and those who do often have to tell multiple people before someone calls the police or child welfare services. The overwhelming majority of child sexual abuse victims are abused by someone they know and trust, someone most parents would never suspect. Females are estimated to account for less than 20% of child molesters.

    There are different several types or names for sex offenders.

    Intra-famial or incest offenders - These offenders sexually abuse their own children but can also abuse other relatives and neighbors and most have multiple victims. Most incest offenders appear normal and lead average lives. They may continue intimate relationships with wives and girlfriends while molesting children. If discovered or accused by their victims they are often able to talk family and friends out of reporting them. In some cases treatment may be effective.

    Pedophiles - Are adults who are sexually attracted to and desire children. Often they may work or volunteer with children in positions such as coaches, teachers, Boy Scout leaders, ministers/priests, school bus drivers, day care providers. Some pedophiles believe they are showing love for the child and do not understand or care that their actions are harmful. They are likely to be single or live with their parents or have a dysfunctional marriage. Most molest many children before they are caught. Treatment is rarely effective.

    Sexually violent offenders - These offenders kidnap, sometimes physically abuse, rape, and even murder some children. This group is the smallest but most dangerous and publicized group of child molesters. Many engage in other criminal behavior including adult rapes, and are often chronic drug users. Treatment is rarely effective.

    Sexual exploiters includes exhibitionists who expose to children, computer surfers who solicit children over the Internet and child pornographers. Men in their 20's and older who form sexual relationships with young teenage girls, sometimes as young as 12 or 13, can be considered sexual exploiters.

Grooming Behaviors

Most child molesters are in a position of trust and are often able to undermine the child's ability to accurately perceive the behavior as abusive. Most molesters are also able to convince other adults that it never happened or that the child misunderstood.

   Molesters abuse children they are sexually and emotionally attracted to, children they feel are vulnerable and needy, and children they feel that they can control and manipulate into keeping the abuse a secret.

   Child molesters may lead up to the abuse by forming a friendship or paying special attention to the child, taking them places, buying them gifts or giving them extra support and encouragement. They may offer to "help out" with babysitting or transportation. They may exploit children who are neglected or verbally abused by their parents by positioning themselves as the one who is "nice" while the parents are "mean". If the child's relationship with the parents is basically sound, the offender may try to start conflicts within the family in order to alienate the child from the family.   

Molesters also test and desensitize children by telling dirty jokes, talking about sexual things and engaging in non-sexual physical contact like back-rubs, wrestling, hugging and horseplay. This behavior generally starts long before the sexual touching starts and serves to normalize contact and trust. The increased physical relationship and intimate talk between the child and offender makes it easier for the offender to introduce sexual behavior into the relationship. If the child's parent has been present when some of the close physical contact or joking has occurred, it also makes the child think it must be ok.

   Some offenders are so good at developing dependent relationships that their victims feel obligated and may even feel protective of the offender, especially when the offender is a parent, relative, admired family friend, teacher, coach or priest.

Grooming the Child's Caretakers

   Many molesters work just as hard to seduce and manipulate adults as they do children. They may work very hard to present themselves as a moral and upright person. They think about and plan lies and excuses to talk people out of reporting them to law enforcement if caught or suspected.

HOW YOU CAN HELP PREVENT CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT

Interactions with and support from a caring and predictable adult can be a significant protective factor for children at risk of or experiencing abuse. You can:   

Volunteer to be a foster parent.
   Volunteer to rock, read to or provide activities for children in shelters.
   Be a tutor or teach a child to read, use a computer, fix an engine, fish, dance, cook or to develop any other skill or ability.
   

Volunteer for an organization that helps families and children.
   Mentor or be Big Brother/Big Sister for a child who may be at risk of being abused or neglected.
   

Coach a team, lead a youth group.
   Be an aide in the local public school.
   Educate yourself on the facts and causes of child abuse and neglect.
   Take a parenting class. Invite another parent to join you.
   

Give support to a mother, father or caregiver experiencing stress.
   Write letters to elected representatives in support of parent education and child abuse prevention.
   Arrange for a speaker at your organization or workplace to help educate others and spread the word about child abuse and neglect and how to keep kids safe.
   Volunteer to help with the annual Blue Ribbon Campaign and wear the Blue Ribbon -- especially during April (and year round) to show your support.
   Donate money to groups or organizations that provide prevention, intervention or treatment to abused children.

PREVENT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE


Talk openly with your children about sexual development, behavior and abuse. Include molestation or secret touching in a discussion of safety issues in general such as answering the phone, fires, injuries, getting lost.

   Praise and give your child affection and develop the kind of relationship that would allow your child to come to you for help or support for any kind of problem they might need help with, for themselves or a friend.
   

Tell your children that touching other people's private parts is not ok for children to do or for adults to do with children. Tell them that you do not want them to do secret touching with other people but that you will not be mad at them if they tell you it has happened.

   Instruct your children to tell you or another supportive adult if anyone touches or tries to see their private parts, tries to get them to touch or look at another person's private parts, shows them pictures of or tries to take pictures of their private parts, talks to them about sex, walks in on them in the bathroom, or does anything provocative that makes them feel uncomfortable.

   Help your children understand that it is possible that they may know or meet someone with a touching problem who will try to make secret touching look accidental. Encourage your children to tell you even if it might have been an accident.

   Tell your children that touching problems are wrong, like stealing or lying, and that the people who have those kinds of problems need special help.

   Let your children know that molesters try to get children to keep the abuse a secret by giving them candy, money or special privileges or by making threats or making the children feel bad.

   Help identify and encourage your children to have support people they can talk to at home, at school, in their extended family, neighborhood or church. Have them pick out three people and tell you who they are. Put the phone numbers next to your phone and let them know that, if for any reason, they cannot talk to you that they should call or go see one of these people.

   Don’t let young male children go into a men’s public restroom by themselves.

   Be cautious about who you allow to baby-sit or spend time alone with your children. Try to bathe and dress your children before you leave. Routinely quiz your children about what happens while you are gone. Ask questions like,"What did you do that was fun?" Was there anything that happened while I was gone that worried you or that I should know about? Don’t always tell your children to mind the babysitter.

   Get to know the people and homes where your children play.

   Periodically check on your children, especially when they are playing with other kids in your home. If you know that one of your children’s friends has been sexually abused, be more attentive to their playtime.

   Know your neighbors.

   Supervise all Internet activities closely. Consider subscribing to an ISP that screens for obscenity and pornography. Instruct your children to never give out their phone number, address or school name to anyone they meet over the Internet. Periodically, ask your children to see the kinds of chat room conversations that take place.

   Demonstrate loving, respectful intimate relationships in your home. Children should not observe direct sexual contact or any type of pornography.

   Be aware that forms of sexual play or experimentation are normal and developmentally appropriate in young children; but if your child engages in any type of sexually inappropriate behavior, especially with a younger, smaller or less mature child, get professional help right away. Try to overcome denial and defensiveness. If your child does have a problem that goes untreated, it may become worse and create many more problems for your child, family, school and community. This includes date rape or sexual assault between preteens and teenagers. Boys who sexually assault girls frequently grow up to molest their own children or engage in domestic violence.

   If another child engages your child in sexually inappropriate behavior or talk, tell their parents what happened so that they can get help. If you do not think that the family is seeking professional help, contact your local child abuse hotline.

NATIONAL STATISTICS ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
   

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 906,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2003. The rate of victimization for 2003 was 12.4 victims per 1,000 children - a rate that has remained fairly steady for the last few years but that represents a significant decrease from 1993, when the rate of abused and neglected children peaked at 15.3 per 1,000 children.

   Among the victims in 2003, 60.9 percent experienced neglect, while 18.9 percent were physically abused, 9.9 percent suffered sexual abuse, 4.9 percent were emotionally or psychologically abused, and 2.3 percent suffered medical neglect. Some children suffered multiple types of abuse. An estimated 1,500 children died from abuse or neglect, 78.7 percent of whom were younger than 4 years old.

   Child abuse and neglect is often discovered because of reports from mandated reporters. The definition and scope of mandated reporters in California can be found on the Web Site of the California Attorney General. Mandated Reporter training is offered periodically in Tulare County through the Tulare County Child Abuse Prevention Council. While mandated reporters such as teachers, therapists, health care professionals, law enforcement personnel, and Child-care providers are required by law to report suspicions of abuse or neglect, anyone in Tulare County can report by calling 800-331-1585.

   Of the estimated 2.9 million reports made to and screened by State Child Welfare Services (CWS) agencies in 2003, approximately 57 percent were made by mandated reporters. The other 43 percent were made by non-professionals, such as friends and neighbors. Of this total, 1.9 million were investigated. Approximately 30% of the reports included at least one child who was a victim of abuse or neglect. As a result of these investigations, services were provided to 57 percent of victims and 25 percent of non-victims. These included services provided to families in the home and, for 15 percent of victims, they included foster care (for children removed from the home).

Copyright© 2005 Family Services all rights reserved

http://www.fstc.net/facts_info_childmolestation.htm

[Granny B]

Pedophilia


Pedophilia is a paraphilia that involves an abnormal interest in children. A paraphilia is a disorder that is characterized by recurrent intense sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies generally involving: nonhuman objects; the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one's partner (not merely simulated); or animals, children, or other nonconsenting persons. Pedophilia is also a psychosexual disorder in which the fantasy or actual act of engaging in sexual activity with prepubertal children is the preferred or exclusive means of achieving sexual excitement and gratification. It may be directed toward children of the same sex or children of the other sex. Some pedophiles are attracted to both boys and girls. Some are attracted only to children, while others are attracted to adults as well as to children.

Pedophilia is defined by mental health professionals as a mental disorder, but the American legal system defines acting on a pedophilic urge as a criminal act.
Description

The focus of pedophilia is sexual activity with a child. Many courts interpret this reference to age to mean children under the age of 18. Most mental health professionals, however, confine the definition of pedophilia to sexual activity with prepubescent children, who are generally age 13 or younger. The term ephebophilia , derived from the Greek word for "youth," is sometimes used to describe sexual interest in young people in the first stages of puberty.

The sexual behaviors involved in pedophilia cover a range of activities and may or may not involve the use of force. Some pedophiles limit their behaviors to exposing themselves or masturbating in front of the child, or fondling or undressing the child, but without genital contact. Others, however, compel the child to participate in oral sex or full genital intercourse.

The most common overt aspect of pedophilia is an intense interest in children. There is no typical pedophile. Pedophiles may be young or old, male or female, although the great majority are males. Unfortunately, some pedophiles are professionals who are entrusted with educating or maintaining the health and well-being of young persons, while others are entrusted with children to whom they are related by blood or marriage.

Causes and symptoms


A variety of different theories exist as to the causes of pedophilia. A few researchers attribute pedophilia along with the other paraphilias to biology. They hold that testosterone, one of the male sex hormones, predisposes men to develop deviant sexual behaviors. As far as genetic factors are concerned, as of 2002 no researchers have claimed to have discovered or mapped a gene for pedophilia.

Most experts regard pedophilia as resulting from psychosocial factors rather than biological characteristics. Some think that pedophilia is the result of having been sexually abused as a child. Still others think that it derives from the person's interactions with parents during their early years of life. Some researchers attribute pedophilia to arrested emotional development; that is, the pedophile is attracted to children because he or she has never matured psychologically. Some regard pedophilia as the result of a distorted need to dominate a sexual partner. Since children are smaller and usually weaker than adults, they may be regarded as nonthreatening potential partners. This drive for domination is sometimes thought to explain why most pedophiles are males.

Symptoms

A pedophile is often very attractive to the children who are potential victims. Potential pedophiles may volunteer their services to athletic teams, Scout troops, or religious or civic organizations that serve youth. In some cases, pedophiles who are attracted to children within their extended family may offer to baby-sit for their relatives. They often have good interpersonal skills with children and can easily gain the children's trust.

Some pedophiles offer rationalizations or excuses that enable them to avoid assuming responsibility for their actions. They may blame the children for being too attractive or sexually provocative. They may also maintain that they are "teaching" the child about "the facts of life" or "love"; this rationalization is frequently offered by pedophiles who have molested children related to them. All these rationalizations may be found in pornography with pedophilic themes.

Demographics

Pedophilia is one of the more common paraphilias; the large worldwide market for child pornography suggests that it is more frequent in the general population than prison statistics would indicate. Together with voyeurism and exhibitionism , pedophilia is one of the three paraphilias most commonly leading to arrest by the police.

The onset of pedophilia usually occurs during adolescence. Occasional pedophiles begin their activities during middle age but this late onset is uncommon. In the United States, about 50% of men arrested for pedophilia are married.

The frequency of behavior associated with pedophilia varies with psychosocial stress . As the pedophile's stress levels increase, the frequency of his or her acting out generally rises also.

Pedophilia is more common among males than among females. In addition, the rate of recidivism for persons with a pedophilic preference for males is approximately twice that of pedophiles who prefer females.

Little is known about the incidence of pedophilia in different racial or ethnic groups.
Diagnosis

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , fourth edition text revised, the following criteria must be met to establish a diagnosis of pedophilia.

    Over a period of at least six months, the affected person experiences recurrent, intense and sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or actual behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children aged 13 or younger.

    The fantasies, sexual urges or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of daily functioning.
    The affected person must be at least age sixteen and be at least five years older than the child or children who are the objects or targets of attention or sexual activity.

A diagnosis of pedophilia cannot be assigned to an individual in late adolescence (age 17 to 19) who is involved in an ongoing sexual relationship with a 12- or 13-year-old person.

In establishing a diagnosis of pedophilia, it is important for a mental health professional to determine if the patient is attracted to males, females or both. It is also important to determine whether incest is a factor in the relationship. Finally, the doctor must determine whether the pedophilia is exclusive or nonexclusive; that is, whether the patient is attracted only to children (exclusive pedophilia) or to adults as well as to children (nonexclusive pedophilia).

One difficulty with the diagnosis of the disorder is that persons with pedophilia rarely seek help voluntarily from mental health professionals. Instead, counseling and treatment is often the result of a court order. An interview that establishes the criteria for diagnosis listed above may be enough to diagnose the condition, or surveillance or Internet records obtained through the criminal investigation may also be used.

An additional complication in diagnosis is that the paraphilias as a group have a high rate of comorbidity with one another and an equally high rate of comorbidity with major depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse disorders. A person diagnosed with pedophilia may also meet the criteria for exhibitionism or for a substance abuse or mood disorder.

Treatments

In the earliest stages of behavior modification therapy, pedophiles may be narrowly viewed as being attracted to inappropriate persons. Such aversive stimuli as electric shocks have been administered to persons undergoing therapy for pedophilia. This approach has not been very successful.

In 2002, the most common form of treatment for pedophilia is psychotherapy , often of many years' duration. It does not have a high rate of success in inducing pedophiles to change their behavior.

Pedophilia may also be treated with medications. The three classes of medications most often used to treat pedophilia (and other paraphilias) are: female hormones, particularly medroxyprogesterone acetate, or MPA; luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists, which include such drugs as triptorelin (Trelstar), leuprolide acetate, and goserelin acetate; and anti-androgens, which block the uptake and metabolism of testosterone as well as reducing blood levels of this hormone. Most clinical studies of these drugs have been done in Germany, where the legal system has allowed their use in treating repeat sexual offenders since the 1970s. The anti-androgens in particular have been shown to be effective in reducing the rate of recidivism.

Surgical castration is sometimes offered as a treatment to pedophiles who are repeat offenders or who have pleaded guilty to violent rape.

Increasingly, pedophiles are being prosecuted under criminal statutes and being sentenced to prison terms. Imprisonment removes them from society for a period of time but does not usually remove their pedophilic tendencies. In 2002, many states have begun to publish the names of persons being released from prison after serving time for pedophilia. Legal challenges to this practice are pending in various jurisdictions.

Prognosis

The prognosis of successfully ending pedophilic habits among persons who practice pedophilia is not favorable. Pedophiles have a high rate of recidivism; that is, they tend to repeat their acts often over time.

The rate of prosecution for pedophiles through the criminal justice system has increased in recent years. Pedophiles are at high risk of being beaten or killed by other prison inmates. For this reason, they must often be kept isolated from other members of a prison population. Knowledge of the likelihood of abuse by prison personnel and inmates is not, however, an effective deterrent for most pedophiles.

Prevention

The main method for preventing pedophilia is avoiding situations that may promote pedophilic acts. Children should never be allowed to in one-on-one situations with any adult other than their parents or trustworthy family members. Having another youth or adult as an observer provides some security for all concerned. Conferences and other activities can be conducted so as to provide privacy while still within sight of others.

Children should be taught to yell or run if they are faced with an uncomfortable situation. They should also be taught that it is acceptable to scream or call for help in such situations.

Another basis of preventing pedophilia is education. Children must be taught to avoid situations that make them vulnerable to pedophiles. Adults who work with youth must be taught to avoid situations that may be construed as promoting pedophilia.

Many states have adopted legislation that requires periodic background investigations of any adult who works with children. These persons may be paid, such as teachers, or they may be volunteers in a youth-serving organization.

The Boy Scouts of America has tried to address the problem of pedophilia by creating a training program that is required for all adults in the organization. All applications for volunteers are reviewed and approved by several persons. Adults and youth are required to use separate facilities on all activities. Secret meetings and one-on-one interactions between adults and youth are prohibited. This program has received several national awards.

Read more: Pedophilia - children, causes, DSM, functioning, therapy, adults, person, people http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Pedophilia.html#ixzz1hKZXWIHk

[screwlibs2012]

If it was up to me, I would put an immediate end to all the beauty contests for the kids.    You want to show yours off?  Fine, here is a piano.  Don't like the piano, how about a violin?  Just don't make your kid wiggle her behind.   


When I see a 6-year old looking and acting like a 20-buck whore I get literally sick.  Somewhere in the background you can usually spot the mother who hasn't been to a gym once in her lifetime and now is fat and ugly but has all the time and money to pimp her daughter.   That red lipstick on her kid's lips, should be enough to get the bitch arrested.  What's next?  Fake breasts?   


And then there is this wonderful love-promoting organization called NAMBLA.   Where is Sharia when we need it? 


In all fairness to the gays, I should not overlook the great contribution of the Catholic church to our understanding where the pedophiles hide and how they operate. 


To raise a kid today is like swimming with the sharks.    I am glad I am almost done. 

[screwlibs2012]

It's a pity that prosecuting and convicting criminals who hurt kids is so hard.  First, kids can be easily silenced for years by threatening their parents or siblings.  Twenty years later, the testimony seems less credible.   Juries also know that a child can be talked into saying almost anything to please the interrogator and adjust their judgment accordingly.  We all remember the trials in mid eighties. 


This is why any violent crime with all the forensic evidence should be a slam-dunk dp case without any extenuating circumstances and mitigating conditions.  When we have an adult sperm in the vagina of an 8-year old girl, it is all we need to conclude the case by lunch with the execution that afternoon.    The only testimony that should be allowed is by the lab technicians.  To prevent a mistake, the samples should go to three independent labs, one in Canada.    No bad childhood bullshit or my mama was on them drugs should be allowed.   The same for "I was an abused child"  line.  Then you know how it feels. 


Grandma, thanks for giving me an opportunity to vent.   

[Granny B]

Welcome! 

We all need this site to be able to get it out of our system.  That's why we validate and debate each other.  You will find that a lot of us are like minded here.  All it takes to get along with each other is politeness and the willingness to listen.

Also the absence of trolls.