In the light of recent happenings, there is need for every concerned parent to guard against paedophiles who prey on children to satisfy their pervert sexual desires.

A paedophile is a person who is sexually attracted to children.

A vast majority of paedophiles cut the image of any average person out there. They often don’t appear the way these unsuspecting children expect them to look.

The President of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Ernie Allen, had this to say:

“We know for a fact that those who prey upon children are people who seek legitimate access and don’t look like stereotypes. These are doctors, lawyers, pastors, school teachers, executives and even police officers; it really crosses the societal spectrum…”

In this article, WuzupNigeria highlighted five ways you can protect your children from the prying eyes of predators:

1. Get active

As parents and guardians, it is important that you know who your children are spending time with. The adults they come in contact with on a regular basis or what they are doing at a friend’s house. You need to almost always make yourself available for them.

2. Give them attention

Paedophiles are known to look for children who appear to be on their own or whose parents don’t pay much attention to them. Paedophiles participate in activities where children are. Getting involved in your children’s life can help set up a barrier between your children and a paedophile.

3. Sexual exploitation can take place anywhere, any time

The United States Department of Justice estimated, on the average, that there is one child molester per square mile. Be aware of the people who live in your community and watch those who seem to have an unusual interest in children.

4. Ensure children know appropriate name of their private parts

Paedophiles often adopt cute names for the sexual parts of a child’s body, and if your child knows the proper name, it may prevent a sexual attack. A knowledgeable child projects power and may scare off a sexual predator.

5. Teach your child to listen intuition

If they don’t want to go with a certain person, don’t make them. Stop caring about politeness and think about safety first! Intuition is a natural defence system and as we grow older, it becomes more refined. It is designed to protect us from harm or dangerous situations. Make sure your children understand this, if they feel uncomfortable, get out of that situation. If they feel unsure about doing something, they shouldn’t.