Hype and Hysteria

On October 6, 2005, Dr. Helen had a post about Oprah's list of adults who might be child molesters:

Ok, now this is ridiculous. Here is Oprah's list of offender characteristics of child molesters--included on the list are adults who know too much about children's fads or music. I know many people who would fit this bill--I guess they should turn themselves in. But wait--states such as Alabama are tightening up on laws against child molesters--and Oprah promotes one sexual offense and life in prison, so it would probably be too risky. And the courts have very little in the way of restitution if a person is accused unfairly (see this article). In fact, you get more punishment for being cruel to a chicken in Arizona than you do for falsely accusing someone of being a child molester.

Here is Oprah's list:

Adults who seem preoccupied with children

Single adults who work or volunteer with children's clubs/activities and frequently spend their free time doing "special" things with kids

Adults who spend time volunteering with youth groups who do not have children in those groups

Adults who seem to engage in frequent contact with children, i.e., casual touching, caressing, wrestling, tickling, combing hair or having children sit on their lap

Adults who act like children when with children or who allow children to do questionable or inappropriate things

Adults who want to take your children on special outings too frequently or plan activities that would include being alone with your child

Adults who do not have children and seem to know too much about the current fads or music popular with children

Adults that your children seem to like for reasons you don't understand

Adults who seem able to infiltrate family and social functions or are "always available" to watch your kids

On December 13, 2006 I wrote this:

As the others have said, I think the ones about single adult volunteers and adults volunteering in an activity that doesn't have their own children in it, are really lame criteria.

I have a six-year-old first cousin (her mom is close to my age) who is really cuddly and loves to give me hugs. It makes me feel uncomfortable for this very reason.