| Children
as Preferred Sexual Objects |
| Access to children ~ This
is one of the most important indicators of a pedophile. The pedophile will surely have a a
method of gaining access to children. Other than simply hanging around places children
congregate, pedophiles sometimes marry women simply to gain access to children. Pedophiles
are frequently the "nice guys" in the neighborhood who like to entertain the
children after school or take them on day or weekend trips. Also, a pedophile may seek
employment where he will be in contact with children (teacher, camp counselor, babysitter,
school bus driver) or where he can eventually specialize in dealing with children
(physician, dentist, minister, photographer, social worker, police officer). The pedophile
may also become a scout leader, Big Brother, foster parent, little league coach, and so
on. The pedophile may operate a business that hires adolescents. In one case known to the
author, a pedophile married, had a daughter, and he molested her. He was the "nice
guy" in the neighborhood who had the neighborhood girls over to his house for
parties, and he molested them. He was a coach for a girl’s softball team, and he
molested them. He was a dentist who specialized in child patients, and he molested them. Activities with children, often excluding other adults ~ The pedophile is always trying to get children in situations where there are no other adults present. On a boy scout hike he might suggest the fathers go into town for a beer. He will "sacrifice" and stay behind with the boys. Seduces with attention, affection, and gifts ~ This is the most common technique used by pedophiles. They literally seduce the children by befriending them, talking to them, listening to them, paying attention to them, spending time with them, and buying gifts for them. If you understand the courtship process, it should not be difficult to understand why some child victims develop positive feelings for the offender. Many people can understand why an incest victim might not report his or her father, but they cannot understand why a victim not related to the offender does not immediately report molestation. There are many reasons for a victim not immediately reporting molestation (fear, blackmail, embarrassment, confusion), but the results of the seduction process are often ignored or not understood at all. Skilled at manipulating children ~ In order to operate a child sex ring involving simultaneous sexual relations with multiple victims, a pedophile must know how to manipulate children. The pedophile uses seduction techniques, competition, peer pressure, child and group psychology, motivation techniques, threats, and blackmail. The pedophile must continuously recruit children into and move children out of the ring without his activity being disclosed. Part of the manipulation process is lowering the inhibitions of the seduction techniques, competition, peer pressure, child and group psychology, motivation techniques, threats, and blackmail. The pedophile must continuously recruit children into and move children out of the ring without his activity being disclosed. Part of the manipulation process is lowering the inhibitions of the children. A skilled pedophile who can get children into a situation where they must change clothing or stay with him overnight will almost always succeed in seducing them. Not all pedophiles possess these skills... Has hobbies and interests appealing to children ~ This is another indicator that must be considered for evaluation only in connection with other indicators. Pedophiles might collect toys or dolls, build model planes or boats, or perform as clowns or magicians to attract children. A pedophile interested in older children might have a "hobby" involving alcohol, drugs, or pornography. Shows sexually explicit material to children ~ Any adult who shows sexually explicit material to children of any age should be viewed with suspicion. This is generally part of the seduction process in order to lower inhibitions. A pedophile might also encourage or allow children to call a dial-a-porn service or send them sexually explicit material via a computer as part of this process. Sexual
Fantasies Focusing on Children Photographing of children ~ This includes photographing children fully dressed. One pedophile bragged that he went to rock concerts with thirty or forty rolls of film in order to photograph young boys. After developing the pictures, he fantasized about having sex with them. Such a pedophile might frequent playgrounds, youth swimming meets, child beauty pageants, or child exercise classes with his camera. Collecting child pornography or child erotica ~ This is one of the most significant characteristics of pedophiles. This material is reprinted from "Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis" © 1986 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Arlington, Virginia, USA, and reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. |