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WHAT ARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILD SEX OFFENDERS I SHOULD
WATCH OUT FOR?
Sex offenders come in all shapes and sizes. They can be adolescents
or senior citizens, homeless or executives in Fortune 500 companies,
and they can come from any racial, ethnic or religious background.
They cannot, therefore, be identified easily. Yet certain behaviors
can be a sign of trouble, although it is also important to remember
that such behaviors are not always indicative of sexual offending.
Some common warning signs can include an adult who:
- insists
on hugging, kissing, touching, wrestling or holding a child even
if the child resists;
- is
too interested in a child’s developing body, sexuality,
dating habits, etc.;
- seeks
uninterrupted time alone with a child;
- spends
more time with children than with people his own age, and more
time doing
activities involving children;
- offers
to babysit children free of charge and/or takes them on overnight
outings alone;
- gives
children inappropriate gifts or money for no reason;
- often
walks in on children in the bathroom;
- is
too permissive with children and allows misbehavior;
- talks
repeatedly about the sexual activities of children and teens;
- talks
with children about sexual fantasies, and seems unclear about
what is O.K. to do and talk about with children;
- encourages
children to keep secrets;
- looks
at child pornography;
- asks
adult partners to dress or act like children or teens during
sexual activity;
- has
a series of children who are “special friends;”
- makes
fun of children’s body parts, and calls them sexual
names such as “stud” or “whore.”
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