Red Flags in Adults
Potential Molester Alert Signals
No one cal tell by looking at someone if that person is a
molester.
Most molesters:
- Look like everyone else.
- Try to gain trust of parents.
- Gain the trust of children.
- Use their own children to gain access.
- Are often in a trusted role with children.
- Try to find jobs that involve children.
- Sometimes use their church association to gain trust.
- Can be very patient while they plan the abuse.
- May begin molesting children when they are children
themselves.
That being stated, there are some warning signs that could
indicate that someone is a molester. Have you ever seen someone playing with a
child and felt uncomfortable with it? Maybe you thought, “I’m just
over-reacting,” or, “He/She doesn’t really mean that.” Don’t ignore the
behavior; learn how to ask more questions about what you have seen. The
checklist below offers some warning signs.
Do you know an adult or older child who:
- Refuses to let a child set any of his or her own
limits?
- Insists on hugging, touching, kissing, tickling,
wrestling with or holding a child even when the child does not want this
affection?
- Is overly interested in the sexuality of a particular
child or teen (e.g., talks repeatedly about the child’s developing body or
interferes with normal teen dating)?
- Manages to get time alone or insists on time alone
with a child with no interruptions?
- Spends most of his/her spare time with children and
has little interest in spending time with someone their own age?
- Regularly offers to babysit many different children
for free or takes children on overnight outings alone?
- Buys children expensive gifts or gives them money for
no apparent reason?
- Frequently walks in on children/teens in the bathroom?
- Allows children or teens to consistently get away with
inappropriate behavior?
If you answered “yes” to some of these questions, talk to
that person. If you are uncomfortable, but don’t see these signs, be sure to
trust your instincts and ask questions.
From
www.stopitnow.org