I know this might not seem like the place for this post, but I'm really looking to understand how I can overcome my fears of child predators. I was molested from the age of 5-11 by multiple people. When I was 14 my favorite uncle who I was very close to and looked at as more of a father than my own father made a pass at me so therefore I'm very untrusting of people around my child. My daughter recently turned 5 the same age I was when things started happening and I feel like my anxiety of it happening to her has definitely increased. I'm currently pregnant with a baby boy due in August and I'm sure I'll have the same fears for him. I don't want to be one of those parents that hold their child back from certain stuff because of this, but it is so hard. My daughter has developmental delays, but she speaks very clearly and very well but she can barely give you a real answer to a question. If you ask her something and she feels presurred she repeats the question back this is something even her teachers have noticed. So I can't ask her questions like is someone touching you because she'd either repeat it back or say I did it. This past year she went to school and told her teacher I chocked her when in actuality I was putting lotion on her face neck and shoulders like I had done everyday since she was born. Needless to say I make her wash herself up and put lotion on by herself from then on. Luckily I know her teacher well enough to where she didn't believe it and informed the CPS workers this and explained that all kids over exaggerate and that even her daughter has done it before. She'll even say someone slapped her if she's injured while playing with people. She's so dramatic and this makes it even harder to tell if she's being truthful or being her normal colorfully charactered self. Anyway my SO has a older female coworker who I was initially under the impression that he had known personally outside of work. My daughter had been to her house twice so the second time she went he had to pick her up and he informs me that that was his first time being there.....so I was mad as hell like why would you allow your child to go to a persons house you had never been to? To me that was irresponsible like you never even knew the living situation or the condition of the house before allowing your child to go there without you. Our situations growing up we're obviously completely different his family treated him like crap while all the adults and strangers he came in contact with took him in. He calls his best friend since the 3rd grade mom, mom and doesn't even acknowledge his blood relatives. I on the other hand was constantly being molested and touched by those who were supposed to be my protectors. So we have a different view on who to trust and who not to trust well I personally don't trust anyone with my daughter he trust any and everyone who says they will keep her 😪. I just don't know what to do any more. The coworker wanted to keep her today and I would've allowed her to as long as they were only going out(she usually takes her out to eat or to the park), but it seem like whenever she has to go through me she never answers the phone or respond to msgs. Even though I'm skeptical I promise I've never given her a hard time I'm always nice and pleasant so I don't understand why she never picks up the phone and in my mind its cause for concern so now I feel like I need to give her the side eye. I just really want to know how I can combat this feeling or overcome my fears. Any advice would be helpful. Oh and I did take counseling for my own personal issues, but even that didn't help with my own fears for my child. Sorry it's so long