Oprah show on child molesters

[calv]

did anyone see this? OMG it's so disturbing & VERY tough to watch. Trying to get through it though. Knowledge is power. Educate those kids!

if you haven't seen it it's online as well:

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Oprahs-Conversation-with-Child-Molesters

[bubbaray]

Watching now. All of those guys definitely set out my creepy radar.

[elektra]

I could not get through it. I really don't understand why Oprah insists that they describe in detail exactly what they did. I feel like that is really not necessary, and I just don't want to hear that. I do want to hear about why they chose their victims in order to know how I might be able to prevent that from happening with my own kids.

[elektra]

All of those guys definitely set out my creepy radar.

Yes! They all seemed so creepy to me. I guess that's a good thing that they didn't look completely "normal".

[bubbaray]

In a weird way, I wish the sickos on the clips *did* look normal. I think most of these guys would set off most parents creep radar. The most prolific SOs look like the guy next door. I've seen hundreds of such files and they look like pretty much anyone in my life.

Sigh. Still watching.

[Laurel]

I could not get through it. I really don't understand why Oprah insists that they describe in detail exactly what they did. I feel like that is really not necessary, and I just don't want to hear that. I do want to hear about why they chose their victims in order to know how I might be able to prevent that from happening with my own kids.

Yeah, I thought it was too much details about their specific experiences and not enough about how to prevent. I did appreciate that all four of the offenders had committed different types of offenses: there was the old guy who likes little kids, the dad who molested his daughter, the guy who became a sex offender as a child/teen himself and the guy who went after young adolescent girls. We seem to have one sterotype of child predator (pervert hiding in the bushes); it was good to see that predators can take many forms.

[mommylamb]

Could those of you brave enough to watch this tell me what your take aways are? I really don't want to see it.

[Laurel]

Basically "gift of fear" stuff: If you think something isn't right, it probably isn't. If someone is overly interested in your kids, that's a red flag. If your kids are timid or neglected, they are better targets for predators. They discussed grooming behaviors, etc.

My take away was pay attention.

[DrSally]

I wasn't in a frame of mind to watch it last night.

[BabyMine]

90% of those that molest are family or who know the family.

I watched the entire thing. It was very hard but since I was terrified of it happening to either DC I figured I might as well learn how to protect them from the people who knew best.

These looked like normal people to me. The one that I had a problem with was the dad.

I think today's episode Lisa Ling visits a prison for SA and talks with the only female molester there.

[hillview]

Watching now ...

[bubbaray]

I had to stop watching. I have dealt with a lot of these types of cases and it still turns my stomach. I mean, really, there isn't anyone you can truly trust when it comes right down to it. Anyone could be a SO.

[BabyMine]

I had to stop watching. I have dealt with a lot of these types of cases and it still turns my stomach. I mean, really, there isn't anyone you can truly trust when it comes right down to it. Anyone could be a SO.


I don't know how you do it but thank you. I wish they would get life in prison without parole.

[bubbaray]

I don't anymore. I never did criminal prosecutions, just the civil side. It sucked.

[Laurel]

I don't anymore. I never did criminal prosecutions, just the civil side. It sucked.

I hear you. I used to work for a forensic psychiatrist who would testify for the victim's side...so many stories I wish I had never heard.

[wendibird22]

Thanks for posting the link. Only caught the last few minutes.

[mommylamb]

When I was in college and in my early 20s for a while after that, I worked in a shelter for battered women and their children. There were a lot of sexual abuse stories (both the kids and the women when they were children). I don't think I could do that sort of thing now. As a mother, I find myself more empathetic than I ever was before I had children. I cry more easily. When I hear horrible stories, it's hard for me to not put myself in the shoes of others in my mind and I get upset. Even reading certain books can be more difficult. Before DS I read the Kite Runner, and during the rape scene though, oh that's terrible, but it didn't impact me personally. After DS I read A Thousand Splendid Suns, and there were scenes in which I couldn't continue to read because I was so upset.