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Safety Tips - Behavior to Watch



Adult Behavior that may signal Sexual Interest in Children

Remeber: Children are most often molested by someone they know, or whom the parents know. Do you know an adult or child who:

  • Refuses to let a child set any of his or her own limits?
  • Insists on hugging, touching, kissing, tickling, wrestling with or holding a child even when the child does not want affection?
  • Is overly interested in the sexuality of a particular child or teen (e.g. talks repeatedly about the child's developing body or interferes with normal teen dating)?
  • Manages to get time alone or insists on time alone with a child without interruptions?
  • Spends most of his / her spare time with children and has little interest in spending time with someone their own age?
  • Regularly offers to baby-sit many different children for free or takes children on overnight outings alone?
  • Buys children expensive gifts or gives them money for no apparent reason?
  • Frequently walks in on children / teens in the bathroom?
  • Allows children or teens to consistently get away with inappropriate behaviors?
  • Talks again and again about the sexual activities of children or teens?
  • Talks about sexual fantasies with children and is not clear about what's okay with children?
  • Encourages silence and secrets in a child?
  • Asks adult partners to dress or act like a child or teen during sexual activity?
  • Often has a "special" child friend, maybe a different one from year to year?
  • Spends most spare time on activities involving children or teens, not adults?
  • Makes fun of a child's body parts, calls a child sexual names such as "stud", "whore", or "slut"?

From: "Because There Is a Way to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse: Facts About Abuse and Those Who Might Commit It", Joan Tabachnick, Editor, Stop It Now!, Haydenville, MA, 1998.



This information is meant to educate you about offenders in Calloway County. It has not been made available for you to take action against any individual. Any action against an offender which is determined to be a violation of law will subject the violator to arrest and prosecution.