In Chapter 5 Characteristics of the Child Molester: Who Does It?, Dr. Van Dam describes the characteristics of child predators. To put it bluntly, you can’t tell by looking. Dr. Van Dam starts by writing about “stranger danger“, and how people assumed the child molester looked the part. They would be unkempt, unwashed, and would be easy to spot. Oh, and they would always be male.
Thus parents thought that teaching their children about “stranger danger” would protect them. Child molesters were like lions. Teach the children to look for lions, and warn them about where the lions hang out, and the children would be OK. That assumption has led to us being unprepared to address child molestation, and if we are unprepared, how can we expect our child to be prepared? As described in one study,
“Realistically, the sex offender may be a close relative, a friend, or
acquaintance, rather than a stranger; an older person or a youth; wealthy
or poor; a Caucasian or a person of color; gay or straight; literate or
illiterate; able or disabled; religious or non-religious; a professional,
white or blue collar, or unemployed worker; a person with an extensive
criminal record or one with no offense history at all” (Lloyd, 1987, p. 56).
(Van Dam, Carla. Identifying Child Molesters (p. 82). Taylor and Francis.
Kindle Edition.)
In one study, the average age of a molester was around 31 years old, they were predominately Christian, male, and Caucasian. They were of high economic status, and well-educated. One-fourth were married, In another study they looked at the intelligence levels of child molesters. they found that, “…over one-third had an IQ in the average range, one-third in the bright average and superior range, and 10 percent in the very superior range of intellectual functioning.” (Van Dam, Carla. Identifying Child Molesters (p. 82). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.). The one thing they found in various studies was that the methods they used to charm adults and then groom children did not vary much.
Another consideration is victimology, specifically the relationship between the offender and the victim. In one study mentioned by Dr. Van Dam, 13% of the cases involved strangers, 57% were committed by family members, and 28% were committed by friends. 21% of molestations were committed by natural fathers, whereas step-fathers committed 12%. Brothers and uncles each committed 10% of the molestations. Children in step-families were more likely to be molested, mainly because the two (or more) families added more people in the child’s lives. The studies examined up to this point were done on victims.
There were studies done looking on the offender side. This study found that, “Of the 38,671 victims of child molestation involving touching, 99.1% of all victims were victims of non-incest, whereas 0.9% of the total victims were family members who were molested numerous times.” (Van Dam, Carla. Identifying Child Molesters (p. 84). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.). The molestations by family members often were longer-lasting, and thus created more psychological and emotional issues for the victim.
Dr. Van Dam found a study that showed only 2% of molestations within the family were reported, with 6% of molestations outside of the family being reported. She distilled the studies down to two main findings. One: “stranger danger” is not as big of an issue for children, and the molester is much more likely to live in their home, or be within their social network. Two: the number of molestations are greatly under-reported.
The type of molestation various greatly. In one study, 23% of convicted molesters committed rape, 24% committed statutory rape, 33% committed indecent liberties, 3% committed indecent exposure, 6% committed incest, and 11% committed other type offenses. In another study, 59% of offenders committed indecent liberties, followed by rape at 23%, indecent exposure at 11%, and other “hands off” offenses at 7%.
It is important to know that Dr. Van Dam indicated that many offenders begin committing offenses as children themselves. She also had a lot to say about “Peeping Toms“. There are those who think this is a passive type of incident, and thus relatively harmless. The data, however, says otherwise. One study showed “evidence of progression from nonviolent sex crimes during adolescence to more serious sexual assaults as adults”(Van Dam, Carla. Identifying Child Molesters (p. 86). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.) Dr. Van Dam notes that child molesters often “revert” back to these types of crimes. She notes that, “Excusing, denying, or interfering with the reporting of seemingly less invasive sexual abuse provides for those committing the non-contact offenses with opportunities to also commit direct contact molestations. (Van Dam, Carla. Identifying Child Molesters (p. 86). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.) So passive or not, sexual deviancy needs to be noted and addressed.
Women have also been convicted as child molesters. Dr. Van Dam lists many reasons why women may not be reported for their abuses. Women tend to be assigned to child care and child hygiene, abuse can be more easily hidden by their caretaker role. Societal attitudes can also affect reporting. Juvenile males who are victimized by an adult woman are often considered “lucky”. Younger children who report women are often not believed, or evidence gets ignored. In one strange case in Washington, a woman was convicted of molesting her two children, and the judge returned the boys to her custody saying that “she didn’t really mean anything by it”. (Van Dam, Carla. Identifying Child Molesters (p. 87). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.) The fact that this is not an isolated incident should concern you. Mary Kay Letourneau was married with four children before she sexually abused a 6th grade male student, whom she eventually married. The mother of the male student became one of Mrs. Letourneau’s most ardent defenders.
Most child molesters do not meet the criteria for psychopathy. Child predators meet the criteria of psychopathy, in that they lack empathy, impulsive behavior, and poor behavioral control. Psychopaths, however, commit multiple criminal offenses. Child molesters, apart from their sexual deviancy, are otherwise law-abiding people. Their behavior, however, is very similar to the behaviors of psychopaths. They can con people into giving their support and cooperation. The methods they use are deliberately disorienting, such as staring at a person with a blank stare.
The author of one study into psychopaths provides advice for dealing with them that would also apply to dealing with a child molester. This author wrote,
The next time you find yourself dealing with an individual with
nonverbal mannerisms or gimmicks whose riveting eye contact, dramatic
hand movements, “stage scenery” and so on, tend to overwhelm you,
close your eyes or look away and carefully listen to what the person is
saying. (Van Dam, Carla. Identifying Child Molesters (p. 88). Taylor and
Francis. Kindle Edition.”
This will be a factor in future chapters. An adage used to help people avoid scams applies her as well. If it’s seems too good to be true, then it probably isn’t.
It is clear that one cannot identify child molesters by their looks, their gender, or their occupation. What helps us identify child molesters are their behaviors. We need to be able to identify these behaviors, and then have a solid game plan.
That starts with the next chapter.
NEWS DESK (from the past week)
– Indiana Man, Anchorage Woman Plead Guilty to Child Pornography Charges
– Adair County Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offenses
– Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography
– Ferndale Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Children
– Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography That He Shared Across the Internet
– Erie Resident Indicted on Sex Trafficking Charges
– Recidivist Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of Minor
– Former Pastor Sentenced To Five Years In Prison For Receipt Of Child Pornography
– Six Pennsylvania Residents and One Resident of North Carolina Indicted on Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Computer Fraud, ID Theft and Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material Charges
– Defendant on the Run for 12 Years Extradited from Spain to Face Child Pornography Charges in Miami Federal Court
– Pine City Man Arrested, Charged in Federal Complaint for Using Social Media to Sexually Exploit Minors
– Nye County Resident Sentenced to Prison for Distribution and Receipt of More Than 250,000 Images of Child Sexual Abuse Material
– Navajo Man Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact
– New Mexico State Police Officer Arrested for Possession and Transportation of Child Pornography
– Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Attempted Enticement of a Minor
– Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Offense Against A Minor
– Two Indictments Charge International Travel to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity with Minors
– Quincy Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offense
– Rural Alaska Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a Minor
– Hardin County Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offenses
– Federal Inmate Admits Possessing Child Pornography
– Camden County Man Admits Possession of Child Pornography
– Gladstone Couple Sentenced for Producing, Distributing Child Pornography
– Trice Indicted For Kidnapping Resulting In Death And Kidnapping A Minor In Wynter Cole-Smith Case
– Hocking County woman sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children as young as 3-years-old
– Kingston Man Sentenced for Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography
– Tucson Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse
– Sex Offender Who Possessed Millions of Child Sex Abuse Images and Videos Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison
– Repeat Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison
– Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Offense Against A Minor
– South Carolina Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of Four Victims, including a Minor
– Man Sentenced to Over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Assaulting a Child on the Menominee Indian Reservation
– Repeat Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison
– Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Offense Against A Minor
Meditations of a Bald, Fat Guy 