An Adult Who Doesn’t Think the Rules Apply to Him or Her
In the previous three articles identifying warning signs of potential sexual abuse, we discussed the cavalier behaviors that sometimes identify an abuser. For example, when someone goes overboard touching other people's children, or gives gifts without permission, he or she is overstepping his or her bounds. They are disregarding the rights and opinions of parents, children, and others. In addition, adults who prefer the company of children instead of other adults are operating outside of the social norm. These are just some of the rules and norms that child molesters ignore—and there are many others.

Using Everything Available
It is important that we learn about and support other services that make it more difficult for predators to accomplish their goals. There are a number of other tools available to us and one of the newest ones is the Protect Our Children Act passed on September 27th of this year by the United States Congress. The bill mandates a number of actions by state and federal law enforcement to move the discovery, investigation, arrest, and conviction of predators and the efforts to rescue children in dangerous situations to the top of the priority list. This legislation also provides additional funding for law enforcement investigations of allegations of child exploitation.

An Adult Who Goes Overboard in Touching Children
Heightened awareness about the warning signs of potential child molesters is a key to stopping abuse. One of the warning signs of a potential abuser is an adult who goes overboard touching children; for example, an adult who takes every opportunity to put their hands on children—such as tickling and wrestling with a child—even when he or she doesn’t know the child very well.

To Report or Not to Report
"To report or not to report" may be the question of the day. Several years ago in the aftermath of the death of a young child from abuse by his parents, several neighbors in a large Midwestern community faced criminal charges because they failed to report. In response to the questions from the District Attorney and the media, their response was always the same. They thought something was wrong but they had no proof. They could not be sure that the child was being abused so they said nothing.

An Adult Who Gives Gifts Without Permission
We all love unexpected expressions of thoughtfulness and receiving surprises wrapped in pretty packages, and we all delight in the pleasure others experience when they open a gift we've chosen especially for them. These moments are among the treasured memories and experiences of our lives. However, not all gifts from adults to children are simple expressions of love. Sometimes perpetrators give a child gifts as a way to gain a child's trust, to win a child's confidence, and to convince a child that the perpetrator genuinely cares about him or her.