Every day, children are physically abused, neglected, sexually molested, and emotionally damaged. Child abuse occurs in every segment of society and at every economic level. Abuse occurs within families and at the hands of strangers. No ethnic group, gender, age level, or geographic location is immune to child abuse; it can and does happen anywhere. When abuse is physical or sexual, it is a crime. When a child is abused within the church or while engaged in a church-sponsored program, the entire congregation is traumatized. Even if the initial allegations of abuse are eventually proven to be false, which is extremely rare when a child is the original accuser, the experience remains painful for all those affected. The victim, the victim's family, the accused and his or her family, the leaders and members of the church, indeed the surrounding community, all suffer in varying ways and degrees. Child abuse within the church context is but a small part of problem because most abuse happens elsewhere. Yet a congregation can still be affected whenever its individual members are caught in the nightmare of abuse, whether as victims, accused perpetrators, witnesses, family members, or professionals involved in addressing the accusations. The church is called to bring compassion, comfort, solace, healing, and sometimes justice to these pain-filled tragedies.A congregation that seeks to be a Safe Haven for Children needs to confront the possibility that a child could be abused within the church, or that the church may be called upon to deal with abuse that has been perpetrated elsewhere. One way to address these issues is to develop and implement a Parish Prevention Program. Such a program focuses on educating staff, volunteers, and members about ways to prevent, detect, confront and report abuse.

The goals of a Parish Prevention Program

The primary goal of a Parish Prevention Program is to protect children from abuse. Sadly, prevention of this secretive crime is extremely difficult. Therefore, the secondary goals must be reporting abuse when discovered and caring for those affected. In this way, repeated, continued, or additional abuse might be thwarted. Achievement of these goals often requires a combination of educational programs and resources, screening of employees and volunteers, training those who work with children, developing specific policies covering children's activities, reviewing church insurance coverage, becoming familiar with state and local laws, and similar efforts. The tasks of development and implementation may not be easy, but the goal is undeniably worth the effort.

Implementing a Parish Prevention Program

Here are some of the primary factors to consider when developing and implementing a Parish Prevention Program. As your congregation engages in this process, you may find additional factors that would be helpful. The recommended resources on page 28 may guide you toward other considerations..

Research

To develop an effective program, you must first know the facts about child abuse and become familiar with the resources that already exist. Read a selection of the many books, pamphlets, and studies that are available from reliable sources. Learn about any state and local laws that pertain to reporting abuse or to doing background investigations on staff and volunteers.Research may also be done within your congregation in the form of a self-examination. What programs and locations are possibly vulnerable to abuse? Who are in the best positions to discover and report abuse? What expertise on this issue already exists among members of your congregation? If there ever has been an incidence of abuse, what lessons can be learned from that experience? Does your synod have any model guidelines? Do current congregational policies or practices need to be reevaluated?

Education

The first line of defense for prevention is education. Education creates awareness of the potential problem, assurance that it will be properly addressed, and confidence in how to proceed. Education is aimed at many levels: leaders and staff, adults and children, teachers and volunteers. The content and nature of the instruction depends on the audience. After the initial training is completed, refresher courses and updated sessions can be planned as turnover occurs and new members join your congregation.

Screening

Screening includes more than background checks, although such checks are a part of the screening process. The type, method, and degree of screening may vary depending on whether the person being screened is clergy or laity, employee or volunteer, youth worker or custodian. Uniform practices in every case need to be followed consistently, and careful records must be maintained.Remember, however, that no degree of screening is foolproof. For example, there is no psychological or medical test for pedophilia, and child abusers work hard to hide their misdeeds.Federal and state laws are making criminal records more available to potential employers, and many law enforcement agencies are providing the identities of convicted sex offenders to the public, sometimes even over the Internet. Commercial services that will do background checks, and even contact references, are available to congregations at reasonable prices. Make sure that such companies comply with all applicable laws.

Policies

Consider what practical policies might be put into effect for protecting the programs, activities, and people in your congregation. For example, it can become standard practice that children and youth are always supervised by at least two adults. Youth workers who supervise or chaperone teenagers can be required to be significantly older than those they oversee. Respect for privacy and appropriate physical contact can be taught and practiced. Insurance policies can be periodically reviewed to make sure they provide adequate coverage and are being followed.All of these types of policies should serve the goal of protecting children, while making those who minister to children confident that they and their charges are safe and secure.

Reporting

Every state has laws that require child abuse to be reported to child-protection authorities under certain specified circumstances. The legal requirements vary from state to state, but the overriding presumption favors reporting when abuse is suspected. Failure to make a required report of an incident of abuse can itself be a crime. Knowing the state reporting law and how it applies to the church is vitally important.

Responding

When abuse occurs, responses are required in numerous arenas, usually on an emergency basis. At least the following people or groups will require immediate and appropriate attention: the victim, the perpetrator, the families affected, the authorities, the media, the insurance carrier, the synod, the congregation, and its leaders.Being ready to respond to an allegation or incident of child abuse obviously requires advance planning. Your congregation needs to decide how to deal with numerous issues before an emergency arises.