Kid Tips 101: The Bad Guy's Tool Box

Ratings & Awards Kid Tips and tell us what you think Home	There are many names for bad guys, when it comes to stealing kids, and hurting them, we call them Predators, or Pedophiles. Big names for Bad Guys. Most of the time they are men, but sometimes they are women too. OK, can you tell who is a bad guy and who isn't? No it isn't always the person who is homeless, or walking around in a trench coat, or even someone who has a face that might scare you.	There is one very important thing you have to know. You do not deserve to be hurt, abused or used. If someone tells you it was your fault they hurt you, or touched you in private places they are a liar, and you must not believe them. The real BAD GUYS sometimes look just like the GOOD GUYS. So since you can't tell if they are bad or not by looking at them. Then how can you tell. Well here are some of the tricks they use. We call it their BAD GUY'S TOOL BOX.
Pay really close attention to what you see here, this stuff could make the difference between whether a bad guy could trick you or not.	Affection	A GOOD GUY is someone you know you can trust, who really cares about you and loves you. A BAD GUY pretends they care about you. If you get a really bad feeling about someone when they tell you that no one can care about you as much as they do, and that you should a secret from others...TELL SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST.
Remember that unless one of your family (like your mom or dad) are the person who is abusing you, they are you're very best friend. Never keep a secret from your parents if they are the good guys.	Assistance	Always remember that GOOD GUYS sometimes ask kids to help with things like dishes, taking out the trash, and stuff like that. When it comes to asking for help, like finding a lost pet, or their missing child, or money or finding a street, or anything like that...they really need another adult to help them. If they ask you for this kind of help, they probably are a BAD GUY and you should tell them what?......That's right NO!
Always, Always, remember that you are never a bad person if some- one manages to sexually abuse or assault you. They are the bad guy, you are the victim. BE SURE TO GO TELL SOMEONE YOU TRUST.	Bribery	A GOOD GUY might bribe you to do your homework, or help around the house. But a BAD GUY might bribe you with money, candy, clothes, trips, or other really special things to try to get you to go with them when you know you shouldn't. They might try to get you to do something that makes you feel funny or bad inside. Trust your feelings. If it feels wrong, it probably is. SAY NO, GET AWAY THEN GO TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST. if someone tries to bribe you to do something or go somewhere you don't want to. And always so NO! NO! NO! NO!
	Authority	This one is kinda hard to understand sometimes. But its important that you know that BAD GUYS will do almost anything to hurt kids. So sometimes they will take jobs like being a coach, or a teacher, or a clown, even a youth group leader. Its easy to recognize the BAD GUY because they will try to get you alone, where there are no other kids or adults around. Then they may try to convince you to do things that will hurt you or make you feel very bad. Most all adults who are in these jobs are really GOOD GUYS, so don't be afraid. Just be careful and TRUST YOUR FEELINGS. SAY NO and TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST.
	False Emergency	This one is pretty easy. Have a CODE WORD with your parents, and baby-sitter, someone special your parents trust. Make sure that no one else knows it. If someone comes to pick you up without your parent's permission, if they don't know the code word, you know they are a BAD GUY. SAY NO, THEN TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST.
	Fun & Games	We all love to play games, with our parents, our brothers and sisters, even our friends. games that make you feel good and make you laugh are played with GOOD GUYS. Whether its an older child or an adult, if someones wants to play games that allow them to touch you in your private places, or tie you up, or put hand-cuffs on you or lock you in a closet or room, they are a BAD GUY. SAY NO!, GET AWAY, THEN TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST !
	Ego Fame Jobs	Here is where BAD GUYS are really mean and cruel. They use your feelings to make you feel special even though they only want to hurt you. They will offer you things like modeling jobs, beauty contests, commercials, lots of money, high pay, a private audition, and tell you they will make you famous. Then they tell you to keep it a secret. You know the song buy now I hope. Don't believe their lies. SAY NO, THEN GO TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST.
	Name Recognition	It used to be ok to wear your name on your jackets, hats and backpacks. BAD GUYS use names showing on your clothes, book bags etc. to make you think they know you, and make you feel comfortable with them. If you don't know them, and they don't know your code word. You know what to say.....NO! GO AWAY, THEN YOU GO AND TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST. Right? RIGHT!
	Threats/Fear	A BAD GUY is a lot like a bully, most of the time they are full of hot air. If they threaten that they are going to hurt you or your family if you don't do what they tell you...JUST SAY NO! THEN WHAT? YOU GOT IT...GET AWAY, GO TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST!!
	Heroes	Man this is so gross. When the BAD GUYS decided to start using Santa Claus and other hero figures to get at kids so they could hurt them...that was a low blow. But that is exactly what they do. The same rules apply here as with all the others. Even if it's Santa Claus...he's a BAD GUY if he tries to get you alone, or tries to do somethingto you, or have you do something that makes you feel bad. DON'T DO IT, SAY NO, GET AWAY, AND GO TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST
	Magic & Rituals	Now listen very close to this one. You know how there are funny shows on TV like Sabrina the Teen-Age Witch, and stuff like that. Well that is only TV. But there are people out there who will use your curiousity to try to get you alone and then to hurt you. It is very very important that if anyone ever approaches you about learning about magic, magic tricks, witches, or going to a haunted house, or a cemetary, without your parents permission, or any place else that is scary or has to do with witchcraft, or performing spells, DON'T GO!! These people are big time BAD GUYS. SAY NO, GET AWAY AND GO TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST RIGHT AWAY!!
	Pornography	This is a big word, huh. Some of you may even know what it means. For those who don't, it is a word used for books, pictures and magazines that have bad pictures of children and grown-ups who are naked or having sex. Sex is not a bad thing, but the way it is shown in these pictures and magazines is bad, the people who create pornography are very BAD GUYS. They use children in bad ways, and will try to convince you to do these things to. YOU KNOW THE DRILL BY NOW. STAY AWAY FROM ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GET YOU NAKED OR TOUCH YOUR PRIVATE PLACES OR TAKE PICTURES OF YOU NAKED OR HALF DRESSED. GET AWAY AND TELL AN ADULT YOU TRUST.