With the release of the Boy Scouts of America's so-called preversion files, a lot of parents are wondering how they can know if their child is at risk.
Attorneys representing former Boy Scouts claim that more than 12,000 boys have been molested by scout leaders over the years. They say an internal Scout database contains the names of more than 7,800 suspected pedophiles, going back to the 1940s.
Child molesters come in all ages, all income levels, all races and ethnicities, and while most are men, about nine percent are women, experts say. Potential molestors are often the people who try to help single moms, who befriend the loner kids and spend timing "grooming" children to trust them, and not tell another adult what is happening.
The group, Child Lures Prevention, says child molesters most often use affection to draw in kids who may have an absent or emotionally distant parent.CLP says people should teach their children about their bodies and private parts. A child should also be taught that they should always trust their gut whenever they do not want to be alone with someone.
The Boy Scouts of America says it reported all cases of suspected abuse to law enforcement.
