This book’s content represents my personal perspective and is intended to offer a practical, simple presentation of how child predators operate in today’s society. It will educate any concerned parent or guardian about how to recognize when a child predator is in their midst; how to protect their child from that predator; how to recognize if their child has already been offended by a predator; and what to do if their child discloses that they have been offended by a predator. For the adult reader who was sexually molested as a child, it is my hope that this resource may assist you in making some sense out of what happened to you, and help you understand that it wasn’t your fault.
First, we will lay a framework to help parents understand the common tactics that predators use to gain access to, seduce, and maintain control of a child. We will discuss specific defensive countermeasures against these tactics. We will study a dozen specific cases that will allow you to apply the principles that you are learning to real-life scenarios that unfold every day all around you. Along the way you will hear my opinion on matters that many parents wrestle with, such as a child’s right to privacy versus a parent’s right to know, children’s cell phone and Internet usage, whether victims should fight back against violent attackers, and how to get your teenagers to open up to you. While you may not agree with every opinion I present here, one thing is certain: when you have finished reading this book, you will be far better equipped to protect your children. If you choose to fully educate yourself on this dark and difficult topic, you will be able to have more peace of mind as your children grow and navigate through many potential dangers.
Patrick Crough - Author