The Real Halloween Monsters

Please be aware that pedophiles treat Halloween like Meals-On-Wheels.

Law enforcement, the FBI, and NCMEC as well as volunteers like me know that child sexual predators consider Halloween the greatest opportunity of the year. They get to befriend kids with their parents right beside them, look at them through snug fitting costumes, and give them candy to convince them they’re okay.

Registered sex offenders convicted of sexual misconduct with children are forbidden from participating in Halloween activities where children are allowed. This includes Trick or Treat. However, many do not abide by that restriction and the police are often times too busy on this night with violent crimes to monitor them.

Trick-or-Treat has long been a traditional predatory event. They post stories about their encounters (LG moments, LB moments = Little Girl/Little Boy) on pedophile forums and when getting together.

We have read disturbing and vile accounts on pedophile forums about children in their costumes, descriptions of how sexy they look and the fantasies that were imagined about the neighbor’s child. We’ve heard them brag about getting children’s full names and addresses, and not just by the child but by the parent with whom the perp engages in a polite conversation. We’ve seen them coach each other in the proper ways of grooming the parents and the child in the following months for future sexual contact.

One of the most important things you can do when preparing to take your child trick-or-treating is to visit the FBI’s sex offender registry and looking up your location so you can avoid these addresses. Not all child sexual abusers are listed on the National Sex Offender Registry, although it’s a very good idea to check out www.familywatchdog.us as well as the FBI’s official site registry for your state.

I know that there are 36 in my neighborhood, and the only way I know is through the registry as they are not required here to make their presence known to parents. Just because someone isn’t listed on the registry, it doesn’t mean they are harmless. It could mean they either have failed to register or they haven’t been caught.

Trick or Treat is a happy time for kids in this country and should not be feared or forgotten because of monsters who use our kids as sexual fantasies. Keep Halloween a fun experience for your children by reminding them of stranger protocol. Chance favors a prepared mind:

Children should NEVER go out unaccompanied by a parent! Every year, I see groups of small children accompanied by young teens and no parents in sight. This is unacceptable and anything that happens to those children are the fault of those parents – morally and legally.
Children should be reminded that although this is a fun ritual, strangers are still very much strangers and should not be given personal information (such as name, where they live, school, etc…). Teach your child it is always improper for an adult to ask their name and/or where they live, and instruct your child to let you know if any one asks such information.
Regardless of what a person at the door tells them, there is no good reason to EVER return to that home. It could be a promise of more candy, letting them play with their dog or other family pet, etc… I’ve seen a stranger give out small dinosaur toys and instruct the children to look up the dinosaur and come back to his home — with or without the parents — to tell him about it. He is not their teacher and this is not acceptable!
One thing pedophiles use to their advantage is that a child chooses their costume based upon their favorite things. This opens the door for a conversation with the child on the pretense of similar interests.
If an adult tries to get into a conversation with your child, other than a brief “Nice costume” etc, take your child’s hand and leave immediately. It isn’t to say the person is a predator, but you cannot let your child grow accustomed to having conversations with strangers.
6. Regardless of how polite the person is, they are still a stranger to you and your child. Therefore, you should not be giving out information, either. One grooming technique is to go through the parents to get to the child. This is not your friend or a chance at a first date. This is a stranger and should be treated as such for the safety of your child.

This article and any other you may find in this same spirit is not meant to dampen the Halloween spirit or throw about pedophile panic. This is only a reminder about the dangers out there because so many allow their guard to drop so their kids can have as much fun as they had. They can still have just as much fun if you are willing to quietly do your part as their guardian. It is your obligation to be your child’s protector as they venture out so they can enjoy childhood for as long as possible. They are counting on you to take their safety seriously