TIP:
When hiring a babysitter, consider hiring a young girl instead of a boy. This will not eliminate the risk but it will minimize the risk because research has shown that 1) 94% of childhood sexual abuse is perpetrated by males, 2) Juvenile offenders are responsible for 48% of babysitter sex crimes known to police and 3) Males constitute 77% of the sex-offending babysitters reported to the police.

Some people have criticized me for this tip because it discriminates against boys and there are certainly female perpetrators. BUT we can predict when and where abuse is likely to happen based on past experience and study after study has supported that men/boys are more likely to sexually offend than women/girls.

Sources:
1) Snyder, H.N., Sexual assault of young children as reported to law enforcement: Victim, incident and offender characteristics, in A NIBRS Statistical Report. 2000, U.S. Department of Justice: Washington, D.C.

2&3) Finkelhor, D. & Ormrod, Dick, Crimes Against Children by Babysitters. 2001, Juvenile Justice Bulletin – NCJ189102 (pgs. 1-7)