Education about psychopaths for kids

[Michal]

Hello guys,
I would like to share with You some thing and also pose a question about Your opinion about education in the topic of predators for children.
After me and my wife finished reading the book "Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, And Other Sex Offenders" I wrote a letter to Ms. Salter as below:

Dear Ms. Salter,

We (me and my wife) have finished reading Your book "Predators". [...].

This book was kind of shock for us and I wanted to say that this was very important for us to read and to know those things. I think that I was more reckless then my wife in being cautious with people but nothing bad happend in our life just You to know. Thank You for that book for Your work.

We learned a lot.... and probably more learning before us. It is just amazing how unaware we in general are when it comes to psychopathy! We also think that our kids now our son shall also now at least some of the horrible truth ... I mean I just do not know how to say that. That life and people especially we have to be cautious and aware that they might be predators.

In the book we have not found what would You advice to kids. How to teach them about the threat? How to make them more aware?

I would like them to know not necessarily details of horrific tortures but that there is evil in this world. .... Hmmm ... Have You done something with kids education in that matter? If not do You know somebody who did or could give some reference to book or link?
Please advise and thank You from me and my wife for that book. It is definitely a must read for everyone.

And she wrote back:

I am glad the book was useful. I would not try to explain any kind of abstract concept to young children. They are not going to understand “evil” any more than “good.” Everything is concrete for children of that age. Trying to explain an abstraction such as “predators” would merely make them fearful of the world. Instead, I would start with trying to protect them from sexual abuse. Jan Hindman put out a classic book called something like “A Very Touching Book”. It explained about good touch, bad touch, and secret touch. It is graphic in the sense that there are cartoons of bodies in all shapes and sizes, but it is a healthy approach.
Children need to understand 1) they have some parts of their bodies that are private and they are the parts that a bathing suit covers, 2) there is nothing wrong with those parts, they are just very personal, 3) no one has the right to touch those parts unless it is a doctor or someone like that who is trying to make sure everything is healthy. If someone does try to touch those parts, they should tell them no, and come tell you. Jan did it better in the book. She distinguished between bad touch (hitting) and secret touch (sexual abuse) but what I said is the gist of it. Above all try to keep the channel of communication open between you and your children. My belief is that parents should say 5 encouraging or at least neutral things to every reprimand, command (do your homework), or criticism. It’s our job to protect them from psychopaths; they cannot protect themselves.

I had strong feeling that I should tell my son something about predators. That he should know that some people are evil but we thought and talked about it with my wife and have not reached conclusion in what extent he should know about the evil. I told him simply that some people are evil and like to watch other people sad and crying. I do not wanted him to feel scared... And there is my doubt whether where is the limit of the knowledge for children. Maybe the clue is his own experience but I do not want him to experience terrible things...

What do You think about it? What is Your experience with educating kids about predators?

PS. And of course really big THANK YOU to this forum again for inspiration to read this book. Thanks! My debt towards You is growing. I hope that my work will be usefull someday to give back something what I have received...