Look Both Ways

Recognizing Sexual Predators, Offline and On

As mentioned earlier in this book, sexual predators can "look" like anyone. They can be strangers or people who know you; they might approach your children on their way home from school or while playing in the neighborhood, or befriend them online. Some predators who already know your children use the Internet as a way to make additional contact with them so they can build a "special" bond without you realizing just how much interaction they’re having.

Just as you keep an eye on who interacts with your children offline, it’s important to have a clear sense of who is contacting your children online, and to be mindful of any changes in their behavior and how they respond to the adults with whom they have ...