Understanding Child Molesters: Taking Charge

Information is power, and this book provides the reader with an incredible amount information. I was stunned to learn the depth of manipulation and deceit that a child molester uses on victims, family members, friends and community. After reading this book I know that as my 2 year old daughter grows up she will be much safer because of what I have learned. I agree with the review that said the "grooming behaviors" section of this book is especially important reading for any parent. It seems that no one wants to talk about child molestation... it's an unpleasant subject that most folks prefer to just ignore (unfortunately until confronted directly with it). In this country we emphasize "stranger danger" but the fact is that 9 out of 10 children will be molested by a family member or a trusted family friend. It's not that uncommon to hear people say that child molesters should be imprisoned for life, or even get the death penalty... that is until they find out the molester is someone in their family or a valued community member. Then the denial and excuses start to kick in. How can we, as parents, place the fate and precious hearts of our children in the hands of denial and excuses simple because WE feel uncomfortable with a subject? I, for one, refuse to do that. If you have children you must wake up and look at the facts. Only honesty, information, directness and diligence can prevent our children from being victims of this horrible crime. In this book you will learn that, and then will learn the skills you need to address this issue under any circumstance - - whether you have been abused, know someone who is an abuser, want to prevent it from happening in the first place ,or if need to recover from it. Please make it part of your job as a mother to become informed. Also, my sincerest thank you to Eric Leberg for writing this book. By writing this book I know in my heart that you have saved many more children than you will ever know. THANK YOU.

Everyone who works with or has ever come in contact with a child molester(s) could benefit from reading this book. Take it from an adult survivor who has gone through and come out the other side -- what Leberg says about the molester is true! They are very skilled at what they do - they are wired differently - children are their 'drug' of choice, and they will do anything in their power to get and keep what they want and need.

Eric Leberg's book was my first glimpse into the personality of the offender. So many books are written about the victims but few books are written for the lay person. Those of us that are healing from the hurts of child molestation need a book like this to help us understand the perpetrator and their patterns of deception. I applaud Mr. Leberg for this work and thank him for sharing his information with us.

I am a parent of a child who was molested for over 5 years by a family "friend". When I finally discovered the abuse, the wheels of justice began turning. I needed some kind of anchor in my life so that I could, first and foremost, help my child, then maintain the family structure and finally, make some sense out of the system my child and I were suddenly thrown into. Manuevering through courtrooms, hearings - just the whole legal system - is like being thrust into a foreign country where you don't know the language. Eric Leberg's book gives you a means by which you can wade through this confusing maze of terminology and procedure. It gives a parent the tools (namely the language) to deal with attorneys because the attorney who is prosecuting the offender is NOT your child's representative. S/he represents the state, and your child's welfare can become lost very easily in this process.Leberg's book reveals the mindframe of a molester. I kept (keep) beating myself up for "not seeing the signs." But Leberg helps parents see that the offender is VERY GOOD at what he does. In fact, as good as you think you are in protecting your child, he explains that offenders are EVEN BETTER at getting to them! If you are someone who, when faced with a crisis, needs to educate and inform themselves in order to better deal with that crisis, then I highly recommend Eric Leberg's book. He's been in this "business" a long time and has used his experience and knowledge to write an excellent book.

Better question is...WHO NEEDS TO READ A BOOK ON CHILD MOLESTERS? The answer is...EVERYBODY! As a mental health counselor, this book provided me new knowledge in the area of child molesters. Since Eric Leberg has been a Department of Corrections Officer (probation officer) for over 25 years, he brings a wealth of knowledge from his personal experience in working with this population of offenders. Not only did I find it of benefit as a clinician, but so have my clients who have been sexually molested. One of the most valuable parts of this book is the detailed description of "grooming behaviors" used by perpetrators. It is because of this chapter that I believe most everyone would benefit in reading this book--especially parents. Molesters are such cons and manipulators. So, how do you know who to trust? Through Mr. Leberg's book, you will have the opportunity to learn of their behaviors which might enable you to recognize a molester and save a child from being harmed. While this book seems depressing in nature, I think Mr. Leberg did an excellent job of adding humor and relaying the stories in such a way that the book is actually entertaining. For all of you who like NYPD Blue, Law and Order, and other shows about criminal justice, you're bound to find this book engaging! Afterall, the cases reported in this book are real life stories!Take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn from an expert on child molesters!