Posted on July 17, 2023 in Sex Crimes
According to SafeHome.org, there are approximately 9,600 registered sex offenders in Arizona. These individuals have been convicted of some sex-related crime and ordered to register as sex offenders.
This number does not include others who may have preyed on children but have never been convicted or who were convicted of an offense that did not require registration.
You can consult Arizona’s offender registry to see who has been court-ordered to register as a sex offender. But this will give you an incomplete picture of who poses a potential danger to your children. You should also pay attention to individuals in your child’s life who exhibit certain signs suggesting they could be sexual predators.
To help prevent your child from becoming a victim of a sexual predator, be cautious about letting someone have unsupervised access to your child if that person:
Some individuals, both men and women, love children and derive genuine enjoyment from spending time with them. But predators’ unhealthy interest in children is distinguishable from the genuine and benign interest others exhibit.
A predator may have few, if any, friends their own age and might spend the bulk of their time around schools, children’s sporting events, and other activities where children congregate. They may also take a near-obsessive interest in your child’s activities and appear to have few other hobbies.
Be suspicious of any person who exhibits improper physical boundaries around children. A predator can groom a child by introducing them to progressively inappropriate touching.
For example, a predator might initiate or encourage a child to hug them before attempting to kiss them on the cheek. The touching becomes progressively more inappropriate, but the child has been conditioned that such touching is normal.
Be concerned, too, about adults who refuse to set appropriate boundaries on physical touches initiated by children. For instance, a teacher or childcare worker should refuse to allow children under their care to give them kisses or touch them in other inappropriate ways, even if the child is only doing so in jest.
Another common ploy of child predators is the attempt to create physical and emotional distance between your child and you. This can take the form of the predator convincing your child that no one in their family understands them or that the child’s family does not truly appreciate them.
The predator may also share secrets with the child, encouraging them not to tell you or other adults about these secrets.
Even though the “secrets” may start off innocuous, the predator is attempting to create an environment in which your child is accustomed to keeping things from family members. This makes it less likely that your child will report being the victim of sexual acts.
As a parent, you should strive to create an environment where your child learns from you about appropriate and inappropriate language, discussion topics, and touching. Your child should also feel comfortable talking with you about these issues and people in their lives who make them feel uncomfortable by what they say or do.
Know who your child’s friends are, and get to know the individuals who have access to your child. Remember that as your child’s parent and caretaker, you have the authority to restrict individuals you do not approve of from having unsupervised access to your child.
For more information, contact the sex crimes attorney Craig Orent. Give us a call at (480) 656-7301 or visit our law office at 11811 N Tatum Blvd UNIT 3031, Phoenix, AZ 85028. We offer a free case evaluation, so get the help you deserve today.
