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What is Child Sexual Abuse?
Child molestation usually begins with a sex offender gaining a child’s trust and friendship. The offender then begins “testing” the child’s ability to protect himself by telling sexual jokes, engaging in horseplay, back rubs, kissing or sexual games.
If the child appears comfortable or curious about this type of behavior, (and most healthy, normal children are) the offender will slowly increase the amount and type of touching to include more direct sexual touching. Child sexual abuse can include exposing, fondling, masturbation, oral sex, intercourse and pornography.
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Recognizing "Behavior Flags"
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Child predators are successful because the average person is often not aware of behavior flags that indicate that something is amiss, and they are often individuals who are both known and trusted. While not every adult who engages in the listed behaviors is an abuser, these "grooming behaviors” are something which every adult who works with children should be aware of and looking for proactively:
i. |
There are six general stages of grooming:..
..
| 1) identify a victim, |
| 2) gain his or her trust, |
| 3) fill a need, |
| 4) isolate the child in a "special” relationship, |
| 5) sexualize the relationship, and |
| 6) maintain control |
|
ii. |
Taking an unusual interest in a child; |
iii. |
Cultivating a close and/or helpful relationship with the parent or caregiver; |
iv. |
Giving a child gifts; |
v. |
Finding ways to be alone with a child; |
vi. |
Having escalating physical contact with a child going from non-sexual to sexual; |
vii. |
Having off-color or sexual discussions; |
viii. |
Showing pornography to a child; |
ix. |
Providing a child with drugs or alcohol; |
x. |
Encouraging a child to have secrets; |
xi. |
An "incremental cultivation” of emotional and physical closeness with a child. |
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Rehabilitation possible? |
|
Lousianna
There's no consensus on whether offenders who commit sex crimes against children can be rehabilitated.
by Lex Talamo
"Shocked" and "scared."
That's how former cop and preschool teacher Jesse Ward described his reaction to stumbling across a child sexual abuse image for the first time in an online network. But instead of repelling him, the image – depicting graphic and violent sexual acts committed on young victims – sent him looking for more. |
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Finding Offenders
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The FBI has several "Most Wanted" lists that relate to issues of child abuse or the missing:
FBI's Most Wanted -- Be part of the solution
Protect your family, your local community, and the nation by helping the FBI catch the most wanted terrorists and fugitives. You can also help reunite missing persons of all ages with their loved ones. Rewards are offered in some cases. https://www.fbi.gov/wanted
Here are some of the pertinent categories:
Crimes Against Children
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cac
Human Trafficking
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/human-trafficking
Kidnappings and Missing Persons
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap
Parental Kidnappings
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/parent
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National/State/Federal Sex Offender and Predator Registries & Related Sites
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Department of Justice
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State Sex Offender Registry web sites (Including Other Territories)
Federal Sites
Federal / Military Convictions
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