Facts About Sex Offenders

• There are approximately 500,000 registered sex offenders in United States.
• According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Report, about 234,000 convicted sex offenders are under the care, custody, or control of corrections agencies on an average day. Approximately 60% are under criminal justice supervision in the community.
• Most sex offenders (80-95%) assault people they know.
• At least half of convicted child molesters report that they also have sexually assaulted an adult.
• Over 80% of convicted adult rapists report that they have molested children.
• Approximately one-third of sex offenders report assaulting both males and females. Research shows that most convicted sex offenders have committed many, many assaults before they are caught.
• Most sex offenders report that they have committed multiple types of sexual assault (sexual assault crimes include exhibitionism, voyeurism, oral sex, vaginal penetration, attempted penetration, fondling, and incest).
• Over two-thirds of offenders who reported committing incest also said they assaulted victims outside the family.
• Some studies of victims have shown less than 30% of sex crimes are reported to law enforcement.
• Young victims who know or are related to the perpetrator are least likely to report the crime to authorities.

Sex Offender Characteristics

• Most offenders commit multiple crimes against multiple types of victims with whom they have varying types of relationships (adults, children, male, females, known and unknown). This behavior is known as “crossover.”
• Sex offenders rarely commit just one type of offense. Many offenders have NO official criminal record or sex crime history of any kind.
• There is no such thing as a “typical” sex offender, however all tend to be manipulative, deceptive, and secretive. Sex offenders come from all backgrounds, ages, income levels, and professions.
• Sexual deviancy often begins in adolescence.
• Sex offenders usually do not commit their crimes impulsively. They usually carefully plan their crimes.
• Approximately 4% of sexual assaults are committed by women.

Sex Offender Management

• Sex offender management practices, based on available research, assume that sexual offending is a behavioral disorder which cannot be “cured.”
• While sex offenders cannot be cured, it is believed that some can be managed. The combination of comprehensive treatment and carefully structured and monitored behavioral supervision may assist some sex offenders to develop internal controls for their behaviors.
• Successful containment, treatment and management of sex offenders is enhanced by the involvement of family, friends, employers, and others who have influence in sex offenders lives, when these people are willing to support the conditions and requirements of the criminal justice system.
• Assignment to community supervision is a privilege, and sex offenders must be completely accountable for their behaviors. Offenders must agree to intensive and sometimes intrusive accountability measures. These measures are designed to increase the likelihood that the offender can safely remain in the community rather than in prison. Offenders must learn to be accountable to maintain the privilege under community supervision.

Personal Safety Tips
Please be aware that there are no perfect protection strategies. There is no way to predict all possible situations. These tips are intended to reduce, not eliminate, the risk of assault.

• The primary responsibility for any sexual assault rests with the offender and not the victim. Unfortunately, you can take all reasonable measures to reduce your risk and still be assaulted.
• Knowledge is power. Though many sex offenders are NOT known to law enforcement, you can educate yourself about those know offenders who reside in your community by contacting your local law enforcement agency.
• Remember : Most sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows. A stranger does not posse the highest risk to you. 80-95% of sex offenders are know to their victims and include relatives, friends and authority figures. If you feel uncomfortable in someone’s presence, trust your instincts. Take steps to distance yourself from him or her. Don’t be afraid to make a scene if necessary. Many assault victims report that they were too polite. Tell someone!
• Avoid high-risk situations. Be observant and aware of your surroundings. Avoid poorly lit areas where an attacker might hide. Identify safe people in your neighborhood that you or your children can go to if you need help. Be thoughtful and use good judgment in choosing your friends and partners. Be careful of your use of alcohol and drugs; you are more vulnerable to attack if you are intoxicated. Do not leave your food or drink unattended at a party or in a public place. Don’t Be embarrassed to use security staff at work or when shopping to walk you to your car. Do not pick up hitchhikers or stop to help a stranger in a stalled vehicle; use a phone in a safe location to call for help. Be cautious about making personal contact with those you meet on the internet or in other similar environments.
• Do not harass a known sex offender. Initiating contact with an SVP can increase the risk of you or your family being victimized or may drive the offender underground, placing others at greater risk.
• For more detailed information on personal and family safety, go to: www.stopitnow.org.

What Can I Tell My Children?

• Avoid scary details. You know more than your children need to know. Use language that is honest and age-appropriate (e.g. “there are people who do bad things to children”). Include general information, as this may protect them from others who would try to harm them as well. If your children are likely to have contact with an SVP or other registered sex offender ‘s you should show your children the sex offender photo. In a manner that does not incite panic, instruct your children to avoid all contact with the offender, even if the offender’s offense of conviction does not involve an offense against a child. Instruct them to avoid being in the vicinity of offender’s residence or workplace. All sex offenders are prohibited from contact with children, and any contact should be reported to the supervising officer. Encourage your children to tell you if the sex offender initiates contact with them. Review the public safety materials with your children and encourage your children to tell you about any contact with an offender or any other person who makes them feel uncomfortable. It is important to teach your children about appropriate and inappropriate contact and to encourage regular discussion about their interactions with other people.
• Teach your children: DON’T take rides from strangers; DON’T harass or visit any sex offender’s home or yard; DO tell a safe adult if anyone acts inappropriately toward them (e.g. creepy, too friendly, threatening, offering gifts in a secret way, or touching them); DO RUN, SCREAM, and GET AWAY if someone is bothering them; DON’T keep secrets; DON’T assist strangers; DON’T go places alone; DO ask questions and DO talk about any uncomfortable feelings or interactions.
• Make it a habit to LISTEN to your children and to believe them. If a child feels listened to and believed about small everyday things, they are more likely to share the big scary things with you. Be sensitive to changes in your child’s behavior. Pay attention to your child’s feelings and thoughts.
• Role-play safety with your child. Act out scenarios of various dangerous situations and teach them how to respond (e.g. home alone & someone comes to the door; separated form Mom in the toy store & a man comes up to talk to them; or chatting on the internet & they are asked for their home address).

Adult behavior That May Signal Sexual Interest in Children
Remember: Children are most often molested by someone they know, or whom the parent knows. Do you know an adult or 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 without 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 baby-sit 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?
• Allow children or teens to consistently get away with inappropriate behaviors?
• Talks again and again about the sexual activities of children or teens?
• Talks about sexual fantasies with children and is not clear about what’s okay with children?
• Encourages silence and secrets in a child?
• Looks at child pornography?
• Asks adult partners to dress or act like a child or teen during sexual activity?
• Often has a “special” child friend, maybe a different one from year to year?
• Spends most spare time on activities involving children or teens, not adults?
• Makes fun of a child’s body parts, calls a child sexual names such as “stud”, “whore”, or “slut”?

       From: “Because There is a Way to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse:
       Facts About Abuse and Those Who Might Commit it”, Joan Tabachnick,
       Editor, Stop it Now!, Haydenville, MA, 1998.

Behavioral and Physical Warning Signs That a Child Has Been Abused
Any one sign does not mean that the child was abused. Some of the behaviors below can show up during stressful times in a child’s life, as well as when abuse occurs. If you see several of these signs in a child you know well, please begin to ask questions.

• Nightmares, trouble sleeping, fear of the dark, or other sleeping problems.
• Extreme fear of “monsters.”
• Spacing out at odd times.
• Loss of appetite, or trouble eating or swallowing.
• Sudden mood swings: rage, fear, anger, or withdrawal.
• Fear of certain people or places. For example, a child may not want to be left alone with a baby-sitter, a friend, a relative, or some other child or adult; or a child who is usually talkative and cherry may become quiet and distant when around a certain person.
• Stomach illness all of the time with no identifiable reason.
• An older child behaving like a younger child, such as bed-wetting or thumb sucking.
• Sexual activities with toys or other children, such as simulating sex with dolls or asking other children/siblings to behave sexually.
• New words for private body parts.
• Refusing to talk about a “secret” he or she has with an adult or older child.
• Talking about a new older friend.
• Suddenly having money.
• Cutting or burning herself or himself as an adolescent.

Physical Warning Signs include...

• Unexplained bruises, redness, or bleeding of the child’s genitals, anus, or mouth?
• Pain at the genitals, anus, or mouth?
• Genital sores or milky fluids in the genital area?

Safety Tips from a Convicted Child Molester

• Give quality love, time and attention to your child so that he or she won’t look for it elsewhere.
• Know the people who are involved with your child who are in a position of trust, even a relative or close friend.
• Be aware of an adult or older child who spends a large amount of time with your child, or seems to be focused on your child.
• Be aware if your child is avoiding a particular person that they used to be comfortable with.
• Be aware of your child spending a lot of time with or talking about an adult or someone older who is not a parent or guardian.
• If you suspect that your child has been abused, ask him or her in a caring, non-threatening way. Do not accuse.
• Let your child know that he or she does not have keep secrets. Many times shame will keep children silent.
• Believe your child when he or she says there has been abuse, no matter who it is.
• If you believe abuse is going on with your child, act on that belief.