There is no crime not even murder that worries and sickens parents more than child sexual abuse. Parents wonder how to protect their children when almost every day the news reports another incident of someone in authority arrested on suspicion of child abuse from clergy and teachers to family members themselves. Even law enforcement has had trouble defining the problem and only recently has the Department of Justice begun recording statistics of sexual assault against children. Amid the confusion generated by sensational news reports and uncertainty regarding the nature and extent of child sexual abuse, what can parents do? In this straight-forward, clearly written guidebook, veteran sex-crimes prosecutor and Los Angeles deputy district attorney Robin Sax answers one hundred questions that she has most often encountered in her fifteen years of experience. From the definition of abuse to the profiles of a predator to how to report an incident and to whom, Sax provides practical, reassuring, and appropriate information. For ease of use, the book is organized into six major sections: recognizing predators: molesters, pedophiles, and opportunists; talking to kids about risks and identifying potential problems; recognizing abuse; reporting sexual abuse; going to court; and, healing and moving on. Sax makes it clear that protecting children begins with every parent in the home. Parents must view protecting children from the potential of sexual assault as a priority. Teaching children preventive measures should be viewed as important as teaching children how to dial 999. Sax concludes by emphasizing that the best defense against sexual offenders is information. Her book provides realistic answers to empower parents and educators, even in the face of one of life's scariest threats.
Robin Sax (Los Angeles, CA) is a former deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County who specialized in child sexual assault cases. She is the author of Predators and Child Molesters: What Every Parent Needs to Know to Keep Kids Safe and the forthcoming It Happens Every Day: Inside the World of a Sex Crimes D.A. She is the Director of Child/Family Protection and Education for the Amber Alert Registry and is a prominent expert on sexual assault, family violence, domestic abuse, stalking, Internet safety, and the criminal justice system. Sax is also an instructor for the Los Angeles Police Department, Sheriff's Department, University of California at Los Angeles, and California State University, Los Angeles. She is a regular legal commentator on Nancy Grace, Larry King Live, Fox News and has a weekly radio show, Justice Interrupted. Sax lives with her husband and three children in Los Angeles, California. For more about Robin Sax, visit www.robinsax.com.
Introduction; Part 1: Recognising the Predators: Molesters, Paedophiles & Opportunists; Part 2: Talking to Kids About Risks & Recognising Potential Problems; Part 3: Recognising Abuse; Part 4: Reporting Sexual Abuse; Part 5: Going to Court; Part 6: Healing & Moving On.
"Honest and comprehensive, this invaluable guide gives everyone concerned with children's care and safety the necessary tools to prevent or address everything from the neighbor down the street who gives you the 'willies' to inappropriate touch or the worst-case scenario. Definitely a must read." - Monsters and Critics, July 2, 2009 "well-written, meticulously researched, and full of hard facts" -- Sacramento Book Review, August 2009
