1. Protect Children at Church
Lee Wright

2. 10 Child Saving Questions Every Church Must Ask
Have we considered what would happen if a child is abused in our church?
Are we fulfilling our responsibility before God to protect the children of our church from harm?
Do we understand the legal grounds on which our church could be sued if a child is sexually abused?
Do we understand the benefits of having a program to prevent child sexual abuse?
How should we screen our youth workers?
How should we supervise our youth workers?
How should we identify and report incidents of sexual abuse?
How should we respond to incidents of sexual abuse?
How do we persuade our people to cooperate with a program to prevent abuse?
Are we acting like our church is immune to child sexual abuse?
*Alabama Attorney General

3. Definition of Child Sexual Abuse
“any sexual activity with a child.” The abuser may be an adult, an adolescent, or another child.
Child sexual abuse can be violent or non-violent. It is criminal behavior that involves children in sexual behavior.

4. Sexual abuse
1 out of 4 girls and 1 out of 6 boys will be sexually abused before they are 18 years old.
66% of victims will not tell until adulthood (if ever).
90% of victims abused by someone they know and trust

5. Types of Sexual Abuse Physical · Fondling · Sexual Gratification
· Oral, genital, or anal penetration
· Intercourse
· Forcible Rape

6. Non-Physical Sexual Abuse
Verbal comments
· Pornographic videos
· Obscene phone calls
· Exhibitionism
· Allowing children to witness sexual activity

7. 2 Areas of Concern
Proper Screening
Proper Supervision

8. Screening Workers Application · Criminal records check
· DHR records check authorization form
· Interview by appropriate staff member
· References checked and verified

9. Child Protection Policies
Age-group ministers, division directors, hall monitors, greeters and/or program directors will be present, or nearby,
Two Person Rule
Six Month Rule
Screening procedure
View windows or open doors
Preschool security policy

10. Importance of 2 Person Rule
The Alabama Attorney General reports that there have been no cases in which the Two Person Rule has been done correctly.

11. Importance of 2 Person Rule
I always tell people that the background check, references and interviews protect the church from a suit for negligent hiring. The two person rule protects the children.
- Jim Swedenburg

12. Overnight Activities
All participants should have written parental consent and a notarized medical release form.
Observe the 2 adult rule

13. Child molester profile

14. Child Molesters “Very nice people”
No physical profile, focus on behavior
Desire to be alone with children
Desire to be with certain children
Desire to be isolated from others with a child
* Reducing the Risk, Cobble & Hammar

15. Child Molesters On a continuum from situational to predatory
Situational sex offender
Situational – usually one or few victims
Opportunity is the key
More of these – may not have a record

16. Child Molesters Preferential or predatory sex offender
Predatory – often multiple victims
Actively seeks victims
Works to build trust with potential victim and others
Most don’t have record because they convince the child to not tell
*Reducing the Risk, Cobble & Hammar

17. Grooming process

18. Grooming a child Select a child a child who is on the edge of the herd
on the fringe, un-connected, in need
looking for someone to follow
often from a broken home
a child that may already be involved in alcohol and drugs

19. Grooming a child
already interested in pornography and sex. Every case of male on male involved pornography. The average age males are first exposed to pornography - age 8
Ready to wrap secrecy into the mix such as alcohol, tobacco pornography
*Greg Love, Ministry Safe

20. Grooming a child Introduce nudity and sexual touch
uses barrier testing to push boundaries
uses sexual discussion and jokes
uses playful touch and accidental nudity. Playful touch includes wrestling, tickling, wedgies, etc. Playful touch pushes the boundaries of where one can touch
create a culture in which nudity is OK
*Ministry Safe

21. Girl victim
If the victim is a school age girl or teen, it usually involves a pseudo relationship. The girl thinks it is real
Method is social media, text, sexting
See Selfie: A Parent’s Guide to Social Media by Tommy McGregor

22. Social Media Standards should be adopted.
Group texting and private social media pages for the entire group are best. Such as the FBC Youth page closed group – not public.

23. Keeping the child silent
secrecy, shame and embarrassment
The child will be in trouble
It’s the child’s fault
Threats

24. Detecting Staff Misconduct
No one warning sign would be conclusive, but rather a combination of these behaviors might indicate a possibility of abuse.
Emotionally immature
Emotional needs not being met in an appropriate relationship
Not able to relate comfortably to their own age group.

25. Detecting Staff Misconduct
Find it easier to bond with a child.
Leader spends time alone with a certain child.
More physical contact than is normal.
The child may become dependent upon that leader.

26. Detecting Staff Misconduct
The child may not mix with other adults as much.
The leader may give the child an unusual gift.
Friends of the child may say or imply something suspicious.

27. Detecting Staff Misconduct
The leader gives rides to a particular child.
The leader’s spouse may change behavior or drop out
* Better Safe than Sued by Jack Crabtree

28. Child Symptoms

29. Symptoms of Sexual Abuse
· Lacerations and bruises
· Nightmares
· Irritation, pain or injury to the genital area
· Difficulty while sitting
· Torn or bloody underclothing
· Venereal disease
· Anxiety when approaching church or nursery area

30. Symptoms of Sexual Abuse
Change in behavior
Quiet introverted child becomes aggressive
Outgoing child becomes withdrawn
Grades suffer
Quits activities the child used to enjoy

31. Symptoms of Sexual Abuse
· Nervous or hostile behavior toward adults
· Sexual self-consciousness
· Acting out of sexual behavior
· Withdrawal from church activities and friends

32. What a Child Might Say
“I don’t like [the name of a particular worker].”
“[A church worker] does things to me when we’re alone.”
“I don’t like to be alone with [a church worker].”
“[A church worker] fooled around with me.”

33. Appropriate and inappropriate behavior

34. Appropriate forms of touch
Brief hugs
Pats on the shoulder or back
Handshakes
“High Fives” and hand slapping
Verbal praise
Touching hands, faces, shoulders and arms of children or youth

35. Appropriate forms of touch
Arms around shoulders
Holding hands while walking with small children
Sitting beside small children
Kneeling or bending down for hugs with small children

36. Appropriate forms of touch
Holding hands during prayer
Pats on the head when culturally appropriate (For example, this gesture should be avoided in some Asian communities)
* Protect children, Episcopal Church

37. Inappropriate Forms Inappropriate or lengthy embraces
Kisses on the mouth
Holding children over 3 years old on the lap
Touching bottoms, chests or genital areas other than for appropriate diapering or toileting of infants and toddlers

38. Inappropriate Forms
Showing affection in isolated areas such as bedrooms, closets, staff only areas or other private rooms
Occupying a bed with a child or a youth
Touching knees or legs or children or youth

39. Inappropriate Forms Wrestling with children or youth
Tickling children or youth
Piggyback rides
Any type of massage given by a child or youth to an adult
Any type of massage given by an adult to a child or youth

40. Inappropriate Forms Any forms of unwanted affection
Comments or compliments that relate to physique or body development. Examples would include “You sure are developing.” Or “ You look really hot in those jeans.”

41. Inappropriate Forms
Snapping bras or giving wedgies or similar touch of underwear whether or not it is covered by other clothing
Giving gifts of money to individual children or youth
Private meals with individual children or youth
*Protect Children, Episcopal Church

42. Prohibited
from possessing any sexually oriented materials at church or in the presence of children or youth.
using the Internet for sexually oriented materials on church property or in the presence of children or youth.

43. Prohibited
discussing ones own sexual activities, including dreams and fantasies, or discussing their use of pornography with children or youth.
sleeping in the same beds, sleeping bags, tents, with children or youth.
It is acceptable to have multiple adults sleep with all in one open space

44. Prohibited
from dressing, undressing, bathing, or showering in the presence of children or youth.
from using physical punishment in any way for behavior management
from using harsh language, degrading punishment, or mechanical restraint.

45. Prohibited
from participating in or allowing others to conduct any hazing activities
All persons should be vigilant in preventing questionable situations from arising.
* Protect Children, Episcopal Church

46. Laws and What’s Next?

47. Mandatory Reporting Law
September Clergy became mandatory reporters in Alabama
Attorney General defines “clergy” in a very broad way
Protected from lawsuit for reporting as long as is done in good faith
Beginning to be enforced – non reporting can be prosecuted

48. What’s Next? Laws are changing in other states Texas, Pennsylvania
Prevention training required to take kids to camp in TX & other states
Standards are changing
Clergy privilege is being restricted or eliminated in other states

49. New Federal Law to Prevent Abuse in Youth Sports
The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act
Are churches included in this law? Basically “No”, but the law does point to new best practices 

50. New Federal Law to Prevent Abuse in Youth Sports
This law is specifically for sports leagues, sports camps, etc. The law also involves activities across state lines (an interstate commerce clause).
Indicates a new standard of care that we should all adhere to

51. New Federal Law to Prevent Abuse in Youth Sports
The law mandates three basic things among such sports leagues.
Mandatory reporting. Volunteer coaches are now mandatory reporters in all 50 states.
Prevention Training. Not just detection, prevention!
Policies Document

52. What’s Next? Prevention training
Training in how a predator selects and grooms victims and grooms the gatekeepers
Training helps us to be aware
Training helps us to avoid the “That could never happen here” thinking
Training puts predators on notice that we know how this works

53. What’s Next? Adopting behavioral standards involving The bathroom
Overnight activities
Touching and roughhousing
The samples in this presentation from the Episcopal Church are for consideration. Your church should adopt your own.

54. Resources www.alsbom.org/safe www.ministrysafe.com
Kit by Richard Hammar, includes videos

55. Resources Selfie: A Parent’s Guide to Social Media by Tommy McGregor

56. Resources
Policies for the Protection of Children and Youth from Abuse, Committee on Abuse, Episcopal Church, DWLA Safeguarding Policies
Better Safe Than Sued by Jack Crabtree
DHR –