There are about 200 to 300 stranger abductions each year, Wooden says. That's an average of at least four children per state annually. But this does not include the large number of children who are abducted by someone they know, detained for a short period of time, abused, and then released. As horrible as the idea is, Wooden says that as many as 20 percent of girls and 7 percent of boys will experience some type of sexual abuse by age 18. That averages out to 148 victims each.
Pedophiles are unable to resist the powerful urge to initiate sexual contact with children.
They take jobs where children are easily approached, or they actively pursue youngsters by befriending single parents, coaching children's sports, chaperoning camping trips, or offering baby-sitting services to friends, family and neighbors. The majority of pedophiles prefer children on the brink of puberty, and they prey on the child's sexual ignorance and curiosity. Wooden found these pedophiles to be unusually honest about their urge. One molester told me, 'Give me a kid who knows nothing about sex, and you've given me my next victim. Of course, it would be no surprise that communication via computer is quickly replacing the printed pedophile newsletter.