Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, and Other Sex Offenders

by Anna C. Salter

(...)in the creative ways they exclude their children from the discussion.
"You're so right," they say: "Sexual abuse is an enormous problem, particularly for young teens. Thank God mine aren't there yet."

No, sorry, says reality, the most common age at which sexual abuse begins is three.

"Well sure, if you have homosexuals around small children, there's a risk."

No, sorry, says reality, most sexual abuse is committed by heterosexual males.

"Yeah, but that kind of pervert isn't living in our neighbourhood."

Sorry, says reality, but that kind of pervert IS living in your neighbourhood. The Department of Justice estimates that on average, there is one child molester per square mile in the United States.

"Well, at least the police know who these people are."

Not likely, says reality, since the average child molester victimises between 50 and 150 children before he is ever arrested (and many more after he is arrested).

When all defenses against reality are taken away, some parents switch to resignation, literally resigning from responsibility: "Well, there's nothing you can do about it anyway." This misplaced fatalism actually becomes fatal for some children.

Another common refrain uttered by deniers of the dangers of sexual abuse is: "Well, kids are resilient. When bad things happen, they bounce back."

Absolutely not, says reality. Children do not bounce back. They adjust, they conceal, they repress, and sometimes they accept and move on, but they don't bounce back..

(From the foreword written by Gavin de Becker)

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, True Crime, Crime, Parenting, Abuse, Sociology

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Aka Anna Salter

Anna Salter, Ph.D., is a forensic psychologist and internationally known authority on sex offenders. She is the author of novels featuring Dr. Michael Stone. She also lectures worldwide and has written two academic books on sex abuse. Dr. Salter is in private practice in Madison, Wisconsin, and consults to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

Reviews

[Artemisia]

Questo libro è stato per me una grande sfida emotiva. Il suo contenuto, per la maggior parte disturbante, mi ha portata a leggerlo poco alla volta per non rimanerne sopraffatta. Ciò che viene riportato da Anna Salter è una realtà incredibilmente vicina alla nostra che spesso tendiamo a sottovalutare. Le personalità e le testimonianze dirette, riportate dall'autrice, mi hanno fatto venire i brividi. È una lettura difficile, ma che aiuta il processo di consapevolezza e presa di coscienza su queste tematiche, dando buoni spunti per difendere noi e i nostri figli da questi esseri immondi che, purtroppo, camminano tra noi impuniti.