Help! There is a child molester in my neighborhood!

I was recently a guest on a radio show in Dallas TX, to talk about an arrest of a registered sex offender who had allegedly molested a neighborhood girl. 

Parents are often shocked to read or hear about a recent arrest of someone in their community who had committed a terrible crime against a child.  Naturally, they wonder how safe their communities really are.

Over the years, I have been asked by parents if there was a way that they could find out if a child molester or dangerous person is living within their communities.  In the USA, there are a number of websites that you can search by name, city, county and location as well as go to your local police department's web site.  However, in Canada, we do not have the access to the same detailed information.

I hate to say it, but most often in Canada you can't find out, unless your local police department decides that an individual poses a heightened risk to your community.  If they do, then they will tell you about it.  If they don't, you will never know.  This is a perfect example of how the bad guy's right to privacy often outweighs children's right to safety.

You can call your local police service and ask them if they have released information about any child molesters in your neighborhood, or even check their web site.  Many police departments post current high risk or wanted offenders regularly.

But in any case, regardless if you have frequent access to detailed information, don't just focus on the "identified child molesters."  Child molesters have an average of thirty prior incidents before they are reported for the first time.

Instead, you should pay attention to everyone in your neighborhood and especially those that are close to your family and kids.  Don't be paranoid, but be aware that child molesters are skilled manipulators and are often the "nice guy" in town.

Talk to your kids about personal safety, and teach them to always trust their instincts.  Make sure that you keep the lines of communication open.  If someone makes your child feel uncomfortable, and they are confident that you will listen to, and validate their feelings, they will tell you about it.