The world is a scary place for children. As a single dating parent, you have dual concerns; for your own safety and the safety of your children. Before I go on with this very disturbing article, I wish to preface my remarks and research by saying that there are more good men and women than bad ones. The purpose of this article is not to bore you with a lot of staggering statistics or scare you into never meeting anyone. My only purpose is to enlighten you to the simple and innocent encounters your child has everyday that could turn into something more with a "Bad" man or... woman.

The perpetrator could be your significant other, your babysitter, the contractor, repairman; anyone with access to your child while you are at work or away could be suspect. Perhaps your friendly neighbor, close business associate, a favorite teacher, or even a member at your place of worship, could be pedophile. Anyone. I know how hard it is to think about - but think about it you must.

This web site shares a list of compiled Internet addresses where you can immediately pull up information on a sex offender or will give instructions on how to obtain access to those records. Some sites are better than others and a few actually show pictures. Hopefully in the future there will be an immediate Internet accessible database for all states.

It is imperative that you remember that these lists have various update times and will only list the convicted child molesters. They may have been arrested for the crime but never been convicted. An in-depth criminal background check would produce a significantly higher chance of uncovering past offenses and possibly provide an arrest record if available. If you are suspicious of someone or need to hire someone to care for your child, you can obtain someone's criminal records through a licensed private investigator.