Would you move there if you knew?

[Phoenix44]

We have 2 friendly neighborhood sex offenders. My kids know where they live. That's the best I can do.

 

[Phoenix44]

Oh, BTW, my kid pointed out a REALLY important point: what about all the sex offenders who HAVEN'T BEEN CONVICTED YET? Not sure where they live are ya?

 

[MA-Caver]

Oh, BTW, my kid pointed out a REALLY important point: what about all the sex offenders who HAVEN'T BEEN CONVICTED YET? Not sure where they live are ya?

Yes, that's one of the sad things about it. Usually offenders get caught after multiple victims. From what I learned with my internship at a sex abuse treatment center is that offenders will have anywhere from 3 to 15 or more victims before they're caught for the first time.
They take years in practicing techniques to groom (setting up) the kids, their parents, neighbors and so forth, that they're a great person, totally trustworthy.
From what they mentioned in group sessions is that the ideal is to get the kid alone. Obvious, yes but easier to do than one might expect. It only takes a few minutes/moments for a quick grope, fondle or whatever. Sometimes that's enough for them and sometimes it's enough to intimidate the kid, shock them to immobility (thus being twisted in the offender's mind that they are liking it) and silence.
Key point. None of the children in ANY neighborhood should be alone (except of course their own parents) with a neighbor-adult. If the kids hang around in even small groups of two or three their safety is heightened.
Kids need to have the confidence of their parents that it will be OKAY to tell. The child needs to be reinforced that it's okay and that the parent will NOT get mad, upset (hard to do I know) or bent out of shape if "something" happens.
Also, first off if "something" ever DOES happen... the child MUST be reinforced (gently) that it was in NO-WAY their fault what-so-ever! "Wouldn't have happened if you didn't go into his house or his back-yard..." THAT line of talking has got to go!
"Breaking the secret" is the first line of defense in stopping the abuse in it's tracks. A parent has the right to know everything that goes on.


(p.s. my caps are not yelling )

 

[Marginal]

But the question remains... if you knew would you? Is it akin to putting your children in harms way, waiting for the possibility no matter how slight?
Just wondering.

At some point, the difference between taking such a "risk" vs say, letting your kids ever go outside anywhere in the world unsupervised for any amount of time is pretty much indistinguishable.