{"id":3790,"date":"2022-03-15T00:35:23","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T07:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/?p=3790"},"modified":"2022-03-15T00:57:08","modified_gmt":"2022-03-15T07:57:08","slug":"sexual-child-predators-evil-in-our-midst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/2022\/03\/15\/sexual-child-predators-evil-in-our-midst\/","title":{"rendered":"Sexual Child Predators &#8211; Evil in Our Midst"},"content":{"rendered":"<pre>[Cris Alarcon]<\/pre>\n<p>One of my brothers is a Serial Child Molester and I am the first victim that I know about.\u00a0 \u00a0He has long been in Prison with a LIFE sentence without the possibility of Parole.\u00a0 A few years ago I was slated for brain surgery and that allowed me to be honest about this subject in ways I could not have been without looking death in the eyes.<\/p>\n<p>I have pulled two stories out of the archives and republished them today.\u00a0 The first story I wrote as a public statement in case my brother was ever to go to a Parole hearing and I was no longer around to say, &#8220;NO.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The second story was prompted when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/rock\/chester-bennington-suicide-chris-cornell-scott-weiland-death-7873904\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Linkin Park&#8217;s Chester Bennington<\/a> committed suicide.\u00a0 He was one of the few men to be public about being raped by an older male family member.<\/p>\n<p>The El Dorado County District Attorney\u2019s Office created a video to help anybody become more aware of and proactive about child abuse and neglect.\u00a0 I asked Vern Pierson for a copy of the video and he has allowed my to use it.<\/p>\n<p>Please watch this video knowing that these terrible people exist, even in our wonderful communities.\u00a0 Never look away from the signs of the most ugly crimes.\u00a0 You may be the only lifeline a young person or an adult may have.<\/p>\n<p>For a very personal account of such things and resources, read the accompanying stories that I have written.\u00a0 They are be ugly and uncomfortable but they are real, as real as it gets.\u00a0 No one wants to think about these things, or especially not talk about them.\u00a0 I can only talk about them with the hope that in some way it might help someone.\u00a0 I ask that you read these stories and watch the video as it might allow you to get help if you are a victim or that maybe some way you can be the life saver for another injured soul.\u00a0 Maybe even save an at-risk child their childhood.<\/p>\n<p>Cris Alarcon.<\/p>\n<p><em>[These links are not monetized in any way]<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Why I Fight Back Against Bullies \u2013 And Why I Refuse to Stay Silent<br \/>\n<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/2017\/08\/12\/icymi-why-i-fight-back-against-bullies-and-why-i-refuse-to-stay-silent\/\">http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/2017\/08\/12\/icymi-why-i-fight-back-against-bullies-and-why-i-refuse-to-stay-silent\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Observations from a Child Sexual Abuse Victim about Early Intervention<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/2020\/02\/28\/icymi-observations-from-a-child-sexual-abuse-victim-about-early-intervention\/\">http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/2020\/02\/28\/icymi-observations-from-a-child-sexual-abuse-victim-about-early-intervention\/<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 class=\"title style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer\">Recognizing Child Abuse and How to Report It<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8YKMJrMccy0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Symptoms<\/h2>\n<p>A child who\u2019s being abused may feel guilty, ashamed or confused. He or she may be afraid to tell anyone about the abuse, especially if the abuser is a parent, other relative or family friend. That\u2019s why it\u2019s vital to watch for red flags, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Withdrawal from friends or usual activities<\/li>\n<li>Changes in behavior \u2014 such as aggression, anger, hostility or hyperactivity \u2014 or changes in school performance<\/li>\n<li>Depression, anxiety or unusual fears, or a sudden loss of self-confidence<\/li>\n<li>An apparent lack of supervision<\/li>\n<li>Frequent absences from school<\/li>\n<li>Reluctance to leave school activities, as if he or she doesn\u2019t want to go home<\/li>\n<li>Attempts at running away<\/li>\n<li>Rebellious or defiant behavior<\/li>\n<li>Self-harm or attempts at suicide<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Specific signs and symptoms depend on the type of abuse and can vary. Keep in mind that warning signs are just that \u2014 warning signs. The presence of warning signs doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that a child is being abused.<\/p>\n<h3>Physical abuse signs and symptoms<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Unexplained injuries, such as bruises, fractures or burns<\/li>\n<li>Injuries that don\u2019t match the given explanation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Sexual abuse signs and symptoms<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Sexual behavior or knowledge that\u2019s inappropriate for the child\u2019s age<\/li>\n<li>Pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection<\/li>\n<li>Blood in the child\u2019s underwear<\/li>\n<li>Statements that he or she was sexually abused<\/li>\n<li>Inappropriate sexual contact with other children<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Emotional abuse signs and symptoms<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Delayed or inappropriate emotional development<\/li>\n<li>Loss of self-confidence or self-esteem<\/li>\n<li>Social withdrawal or a loss of interest or enthusiasm<\/li>\n<li>Depression<\/li>\n<li>Avoidance of certain situations, such as refusing to go to school or ride the bus<\/li>\n<li>Desperately seeks affection<\/li>\n<li>A decrease in school performance or loss of interest in school<\/li>\n<li>Loss of previously acquired developmental skills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Neglect signs and symptoms<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Poor growth or weight gain or being overweight<\/li>\n<li>Poor hygiene<\/li>\n<li>Lack of clothing or supplies to meet physical needs<\/li>\n<li>Taking food or money without permission<\/li>\n<li>Hiding food for later<\/li>\n<li>Poor record of school attendance<\/li>\n<li>Lack of appropriate attention for medical, dental or psychological problems or lack of necessary follow-up care<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Parental behavior<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes a parent\u2019s demeanor or behavior sends red flags about child abuse. Warning signs include a parent who:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Shows little concern for the child<\/li>\n<li>Appears unable to recognize physical or emotional distress in the child<\/li>\n<li>Blames the child for the problems<\/li>\n<li>Consistently belittles or berates the child, and describes the child with negative terms, such as \u201cworthless\u201d or \u201cevil\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Expects the child to provide him or her with attention and care and seems jealous of other family members getting attention from the child<\/li>\n<li>Uses harsh physical discipline<\/li>\n<li>Demands an inappropriate level of physical or academic performance<\/li>\n<li>Severely limits the child\u2019s contact with others<\/li>\n<li>Offers conflicting or unconvincing explanations for a child\u2019s injuries or no explanation at all<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Child health experts condemn the use of violence in any form, but some people still use corporal punishment, such as spanking, as a way to discipline their children. Any corporal punishment may leave emotional scars. Parental behaviors that cause pain, physical injury or emotional trauma \u2014 even when done in the name of discipline \u2014 could be child abuse.<\/p>\n<h3>When to see a doctor<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re concerned that your child or another child has been abused, seek help immediately. Depending on the situation, contact the child\u2019s doctor or health care provider, a local child protective agency, the police department, or a 24-hour hotline such as Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453).<\/p>\n<p>If the child needs immediate medical attention, call 911 or your local emergency number.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that health care professionals are legally required to report all suspected cases of child abuse to the appropriate county authorities or the police.<\/p>\n<div class=\"requestappt\"><a id=\"et_linkAppointment_midContent\" class=\"ico-appt\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/appointments\">Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Risk factors<\/h2>\n<p>Factors that may increase a person\u2019s risk of becoming abusive include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A history of being abused or neglected as a child<\/li>\n<li>Physical or mental illness, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)<\/li>\n<li>Family crisis or stress, including domestic violence and other marital conflicts, or single parenting<\/li>\n<li>A child in the family who is developmentally or physically disabled<\/li>\n<li>Financial stress, unemployment or poverty<\/li>\n<li>Social or extended family isolation<\/li>\n<li>Poor understanding of child development and parenting skills<\/li>\n<li>Alcohol, drugs or other substance abuse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Complications<\/h2>\n<p>Some children overcome the physical and psychological effects of child abuse, particularly those with strong social support and resiliency skills who can adapt and cope with bad experiences. For many others, however, child abuse may result in physical, behavioral, emotional or mental health issues \u2014 even years later. Below are some examples.<\/p>\n<h3>Physical issues<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Premature death<\/li>\n<li>Physical disabilities<\/li>\n<li>Learning disabilities<\/li>\n<li>Substance abuse<\/li>\n<li>Health problems, such as heart disease, immune disorders, chronic lung disease and cancer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Behavioral issues<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Delinquent or violent behavior<\/li>\n<li>Abuse of others<\/li>\n<li>Withdrawal<\/li>\n<li>Suicide attempts or self-injury<\/li>\n<li>High-risk sexual behaviors or teen pregnancy<\/li>\n<li>Problems in school or not finishing high school<\/li>\n<li>Limited social and relationship skills<\/li>\n<li>Problems with work or staying employed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Emotional issues<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Low self-esteem<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty establishing or maintaining relationships<\/li>\n<li>Challenges with intimacy and trust<\/li>\n<li>An unhealthy view of parenthood<\/li>\n<li>Inability to cope with stress and frustrations<\/li>\n<li>An acceptance that violence is a normal part of relationships<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Mental health disorders<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Eating disorders<\/li>\n<li>Personality disorders<\/li>\n<li>Behavior disorders<\/li>\n<li>Depression<\/li>\n<li>Anxiety disorders<\/li>\n<li>Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)<\/li>\n<li>Sleep disturbances<\/li>\n<li>Attachment disorders<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Prevention<\/h2>\n<p>You can take important steps to protect your child from exploitation and child abuse, as well as prevent child abuse in your neighborhood or community. The goal is to provide safe, stable, nurturing relationships for children. For example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Offer your child love and attention.<\/strong>\u00a0Nurture your child, listen and be involved in his or her life to develop trust and good communication. Encourage your child to tell you if there\u2019s a problem. A supportive family environment and social networks can foster your child\u2019s self-esteem and sense of self-worth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t respond in anger.<\/strong>\u00a0If you feel overwhelmed or out of control, take a break. Don\u2019t take out your anger on your child. Talk with your doctor or therapist about ways you can learn to cope with stress and better interact with your child.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Think supervision.<\/strong>\u00a0Don\u2019t leave a young child home alone. In public, keep a close eye on your child. Volunteer at school and for activities to get to know the adults who spend time with your child. When old enough to go out without supervision, encourage your child to stay away from strangers and to hang out with friends rather than be alone \u2014 and to tell you where he or she is at all times. Find out who\u2019s supervising your child \u2014 for example, at a sleepover.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Know your child\u2019s caregivers.<\/strong>\u00a0Check references for babysitters and other caregivers. Make irregular, but frequent, unannounced visits to observe what\u2019s happening. Don\u2019t allow substitutes for your usual child care provider if you don\u2019t know the substitute.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Emphasize when to say no.<\/strong>\u00a0Make sure your child understands that he or she doesn\u2019t have to do anything that seems scary or uncomfortable. Encourage your child to leave a threatening or frightening situation immediately and seek help from a trusted adult. If something happens, encourage your child to talk to you or another trusted adult about the episode. Assure your child that it\u2019s OK to talk and that he or she won\u2019t get in trouble.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Teach your child how to stay safe online.<\/strong>\u00a0Put the computer in a common area of your home, not the child\u2019s bedroom. Use the parental controls to restrict the types of websites your child can visit, and check your child\u2019s privacy settings on social networking sites. Consider it a red flag if your child is secretive about online activities. Cover ground rules, such as not sharing personal information; not responding to inappropriate, hurtful or frightening messages; and not arranging to meet an online contact in person without your permission. Tell your child to let you know if an unknown person makes contact through a social networking site. Report online harassment or inappropriate senders to your service provider and local authorities, if necessary.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reach out.<\/strong>\u00a0Meet the families in your neighborhood, including parents and children. Consider joining a parent support group so that you have an appropriate place to vent your frustrations. Develop a network of supportive family and friends. If a friend or neighbor seems to be struggling, offer to babysit or help in another way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>If you worry that you might abuse your child<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re concerned that you might abuse your child, seek help immediately. These organizations can provide information and referrals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)<\/li>\n<li>Prevent Child Abuse America: 1-800-CHILDREN (1-800-244-5373)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Or you can start by talking with your family doctor or health care provider. He or she may offer a referral to a parent education class, counseling or a support group for parents to help you learn appropriate ways to deal with your anger. If you\u2019re abusing alcohol or drugs, ask your doctor about treatment options.<\/p>\n<p>If you were abused as a child, get counseling to ensure you don\u2019t continue the abuse cycle or teach those destructive behaviors to your child.<\/p>\n<p>Remember, child abuse is preventable \u2014 and often a symptom of a problem that may be treatable. Ask for help today.<\/p>\n<div class=\"thin-content-by\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/about-this-site\/meet-our-medical-editors\">By Mayo Clinic Staff<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Please watch this video knowing that these terrible people exist even in our wonderful communities.\u00a0 Never look away from the signs of the most ugly crimes.\u00a0 You may be the only lifeline a young person, or an adult may have.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3791,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[19,38],"tags":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70.jpg",500,720,false],"thumbnail":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70-417x600.jpg",417,600,true],"medium_large":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70.jpg",500,720,false],"large":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70.jpg",500,720,false],"1536x1536":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70.jpg",500,720,false],"2048x2048":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70.jpg",500,720,false],"darknews-slider-full":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70.jpg",500,720,false],"darknews-featured":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70.jpg",500,720,false],"darknews-medium":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70-500x530.jpg",500,530,true],"darknews-medium-square":["http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/me-70-350x350.jpg",350,350,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"News MoLo","author_link":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/author\/admin\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/News\/crime\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Crime<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/News\/school\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Kids<\/a>","tag_info":"Kids","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3790"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3790"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3790\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3800,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3790\/revisions\/3800"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.newsmolo.com\/EDC\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}