Pedophiles

Child sexual abuse is a very common act committed by sex offenders, also known as pedophiles. According to the Counter Pedophilia Investigation Unit (CPIU), “A pedophile is an adult who is sexually attracted to a child or children.” Pedophiles are a growing threat to society and account for a great amount of sex offenders. Statistics show that, “Sixty-seven percent of all victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement agencies were juveniles (under the age of 18), 34% of all victims were under age 12” (CPIU). That is more than 50% of sex crimes committed against children. Also, “One of every seven victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement was under age 6” (CPIU). These are only a few of the crime statistics that have been reported to law enforcement agencies.

Many sex crimes committed against children may never be reported because a child may not speak out about what happened. Also, in most cases of child sexual abuse or molestation, there is a bond or connection between the offender and child. “Most childhood sexual abuse occurs with someone a child has an established and trusting relationship with” (CPIU). The offender can be someone the child is related to, like a father, uncle, brother, or even a teacher to name a few people close to a child. Strangers are what parents worry about and strive to protect their children from; they don’t believe that anyone close to them would hurt their child.

With that being said, these sex offenders know that will work to their advantage. “Predators use the same innocent vulnerability we strive to protect in our children, for purposes of methodically gaining their trust by giving special attention to them so they can eventually sexually abuse them” (CPIU). A child’s innocence is easily taken advantage of because they believe that they can trust anyone and have not experienced enough life to know they can’t. When that trust is built and the predator sexually abuses the child, the child will believe it okay. For crimes not being reported, the child doesn’t feel that what is happening is wrong or they are afraid to report it for the reason that they like the person and don’t want them in trouble.

Now, what causes a child to trust these individuals who sexually abuse them? There are a number of tricks that pedophiles use to lure a child to trust them. Pedophiles have been known to use the authority trick, desensitize trick, drug and alcohol trick, fame trick and the friendship trick to name a few (CPIU). With a combination of a child’s vulnerability/innocence with their respect for authority figures, sexual abuse is common. This falls under the hero trick, when “Children are often impressed with those individuals they look up to such as those in a position of authority like a coach, teacher, older cousin. They may endure abuse to maintain a relationship where they are receiving special privileges for fear of losing those privileges” (CPIU). A child may not want to disappoint their elder and will do anything to keep that from happening.

Protecting a child from a sex offender is difficult for the fact that children are innocent, naïve and trust people too easily. Awareness by parents, other adults and society will be the only way that will prevent pedophiles from committing sex acts against children. Also, the more educated children are about what is right and wrong will aid in the prevention of juveniles being sexually abused.

Works Cited:

Counter Pedophilia Investigation Unit. “Pedophiles.” CPIU. 2010. Web. 28 June 2010. http://www.cpiu.us/pedophiles/

Counter Pedophilia Investigation Unit. “Statistics.” CPIU. 2010. Web. 28 June 2010.
http://www.cpiu.us/statistics-2/