Signs of a Sexual Predator

April 3rd, 2023

When a child is sexually abused, it’s nearly always by someone they know and trust. A parent, coach, aunt, uncle, cousin, sibling, teacher, grandparent.

93% of children who were sexually abused knew their perpetrator

That means, in most cases of child sexual abuse, you as the parent know and trust the person as well. That’s why the signs of a sexual predator may not be glaringly obvious. It’s no longer the creepy guy in an unmarked white van. It’s a person your child interacts with frequently.

Signs of an Adult Sexual Predator

Here are the warning signs an adult may be sexually abusing a child:

They spend a lot of time with your child.
They’re often with your child outside their normal role in the child’s life.
They find ways to be alone with your child.
They restrict your child’s access to other adults.
They give gifts to your child for no reason at all.
They talk openly with your child about their personal problems.
They act like the child’s peer, rather than as an adult.
They touch a child’s body in places that are unwanted.
They talk about your child’s sexual development.
They don’t have many age-appropriate relationships.

Signs of a Young Sexual Predator

At least one-third of the time a child is sexually abused, it’s a perpetrator under 18. Siblings, cousins, and foster children are the most common young predators. Even peers, like boyfriends, can be a perpetrator.

Child victims abused by siblings often hesitate to speak up. They may feel pressured to keep quiet about the abuse to protect their sibling from criminal charges. But it’s important to report abuse even in these instances as the impact of trauma in these cases is the same as other cases.

Here are the warning signs a minor may be sexually abusing a child: