Child Safety Program

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Child Safety Program

• Adults protecting children

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Biblical Foundation

• Proverbs 319b defend the rights of the
  afflicted and needy
• Mark 1013-16 And they were bringing children
  to Him so that He might touch them and the
  disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this,
  He was indignant and said to them, Permit the
  children to come to Me, do not hinder them for
  the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
  Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the
  kingdom of God like a child shall not enter at
  all. And He took them in His arms and began
  blessing them, laying His hands upon them.

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Biblical Foundation

• Mark 936-37 And taking a child, He set him
  before them (the disciples), and taking him in
  His arms, He said to them, Whoever receives one
  child like this in My name receives Me and
  whoever receives Me does not receive Me but Him
  who sent Me.
• Matthew 2531-46

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Scriptural mandate to keep children safe

• Children are gifts from the Lord
• We are commanded by Christ to
• Welcome them (Luke 948)
• Protect them (Matt 186-10)
• Do not hinder them from coming to Him (Mark
  1013-16)
• The test of the morality of a society is what it
  does for its children. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Book of Church Order

• Book of Church Order (BCO) 56-4-g That children
  by baptism are solemnly received into the bosom
  of the Visible Church.
• BCO 56-5 Do you as a congregation undertake the
  responsibility of assisting the parents in the
  Christian nurture of this child?

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Primary Goal

• to move adults from
• AWARENESS to ADVOCACY

AWARENESS
EDUCATION
PREVENTION
ADVOCACY
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FACTS ABOUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

• The statistics are SHOCKING
• 1 in 4 GIRLS are sexually abused before age 18
• 1 in 6 BOYS are sexually abused before age 18
• Median age is 9 years old
• Most never tell
• 39 million survivors of sexual abuse in America
  today

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FACTS ABOUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

• In 90 of sexual abuse cases, the child is
  familiar with the offender.
• Only 10 of offenders are complete strangers.
• Offenders intentionally seek organizations that
  provide programs for children and adolescents.

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FACTS ABOUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

• 1 in 5 children (10-17 yrs old) are sexually
  solicited while on the Internet
• 4 have received aggressive solicitation (asked
  to meet or call them, or send money/gift)
• 34 have had unwanted exposure to sexual material
  (pictures of naked people or people having sex)

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FACTS ABOUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

• Consequences to victims and society
• Drug and alcohol dependence (70 80)
• Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and
  anxiety (80 90)
• Suicidal thoughts/attempts (20 30)
• Difficulty forming long-term relationships
• Eating disorders
• Sexual risk-taking that leads to teen pregnancy
  (60) and sexually transmitted diseases,
  including AIDS
• Prostitution (gt90 have been sexually abused)

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What is child sexual abuse?

• The involvement of a child in sexual activity
  that he or she does not fully comprehend, is
  unable to give informed consent to, or for which
  the child is not developmentally prepared. It is
  activity between a child and an adult or another
  child who, by age or development, is in a
  relationship of responsibility, trust or power.

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What is child sexual abuse?

• This may include VERBAL
• Remarks which include sexual threats,
  innuendoes, comments about a persons body or
  appearance, solicitation, inappropriate sexual
  talking, obscene communication or inappropriate
  sexual talk, inappropriate affection intended to
  arouse or stimulate.

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What is child sexual abuse?

• This may include VISUAL
• Indecent exposure, showing or taking of
  suggestive pictures, peeping or staring. It
  includes voyeurism, exhibitionism, showing of
  pornographic material or the showing of any
  sexual activity or simulated sexual activity such
  as masturbation or intercourse.

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What is child sexual abuse?

• This may include PHYSICAL TOUCHING
• Fondling, sexual touching, masturbation in
  front of or to the victim, rubbing, holding and
  kissing for the purpose of sexual gratification.
  It also includes oral, genital, anal and breast
  stimulation penetration by the penis, finger or
  any other body part or object, of the mouth, anus
  or vagina, physical contact with a persons
  clothed or unclothed genitals, buttocks or breast.

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Physical signs of abuse

• Injuries inconsistent with explanation
• Injuries inconsistent with normal accidents,
  rough games
• Injuries which havent received medical attention
• Reluctance to change clothes for sports
  activities
• Unexplained stomach aches

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Additional signs of abuse

• Allegations by the child of sexual abuse
• Age-inappropriate sexual play, drawing or words
• Knowledge of adult sexual behavior
• Preoccupation with sexual matters
• Sexually provocative or seductive behavior
• Severe sleep disturbance, nightmares
• Anxiety, fears, phobias (esp. of being with a
  certain person or place)
• Sudden fear of a person or place
• Sudden change in personality

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• 7 steps to protecting our children
• Proactive, straightforward actions that adults
  can take to prevent, recognize, and react
  responsibly to child sexual abuse
• Learn the facts
• Minimize opportunity
• Talk about it
• Stay alert
• Make a plan
• Act on suspicions
• Get involved

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Practical steps for parents

• Teach children a godly self-concept that helps
  them defend themselves from harm
• Teach children about sexuality as a part of how
  God made them
• Teach children clear and easy-to- understand
  concepts of sexual boundaries
• Teach children how to say no to sexual boundary
  violations

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Practical steps for parents

• Teach children limits to obedience rather than
  blind obedience to adults and those in authority
  over them
• Teach children that secrets about their private
  parts and secret touches are wrong
• Maintain active responsibility for your childs
  sexual safety, even in a missions community

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Practical steps for parents

• Be a student of your childs personality and
  behavior, so you will pick up on signals that
  something is wrong
• Take time to be an understanding listener
• Encourage children to tell you about any
  situation that troubles them
• Be thorough in screening household helpers and
  babysitters

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Practical steps for parents

• Actively learn the sexual values in the host
  culture as they relate to children, then
  determine how to protect your children in the
  midst of the culture
• Learn the warning signs of abuse and pay
  attention to them if they occur
• REPORT EVEN SUSPECTED CASES to the proper
  authority
• Know the signs of abuse

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Children often keep abuse a secret

• Understand why children are afraid to tell
• The abuser shames the child or tells the child it
  was his/her fault or their parents will be angry
  with the child
• The abuser often manipulates and confuses the
  child about what is right and wrong
• The abuser sometimes threatens the child or a
  family member

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Understand why children are afraid to tell

• Children fear disappointing their parents or
  disrupting the family
• Some children are too young to understand
• Many abusers tell the children the abuse is ok
  or a game

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Individual response to a childs report

• Five Key Responses
• I am very sorry about what happened to you.
• Its not your fault.
• Youve done the right thing to tell me.
• I will help and support you.
• We need to tell _____ so he can help make sure
  you and others are safe. ______ will take it
  seriously and get the proper help.

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Four Common Mistakes

• Forming conclusions about the truthfulness of the
  report before reporting
• Minimizing the seriousness of the actions
• Promising not to tell anyone
• Handling it on your own

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Field Leadership responsibilities

• Learn the facts and understand the risks
• Minimize opportunity
• Talk about it
• Stay alert
• Make a plan
• Act on suspicion
• Get involved

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How Abuse Occurs

• APC (Access, Privacy, Control)
• Access is gained
• Trust is built
• Opportunity is developed
• Abusers seek privacy to minimize being caught
• Locations that offer concealment
• Encouraging secrecy with the child
• They gain control
• Through grooming to build trust and lower
  defenses
• Desensitizing the child to sexual language and
  behavior
• Misrepresenting standards
• Abuse only takes seconds or minutes

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Risk Decreases as Isolation Decreases

• Time
• Location
• Physical arrangements
• Number of people present
• Frequent, unplanned supervision

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Risk Decreases as Accountability Increases

• Get references
• Notify leadership in advance of any activity with
  children
• Utilize the two non-related adult rule
• Establish policies stating how adults and
  children can report unsafe, unwise actions

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MTWs Reporting Guidelines

• When anyone has knowledge of or is confided in by
  a victim or is suspicious of child abuse
• Contact one of three people
• Dir. of Spiritual Life (Steve Collins)
• Dir. of Field Operations (Bill Goodman)
• Dir. of Personnel (Mark Gazaway)
• Complete a confidential written report

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MTWs Reporting Guidelines

• Do not report to anyone else
• No supervisor or authority above you may prohibit
  or impede the reporting of child abuse or the
  suspicion of child abuse
• Do not attempt to investigate an accusation

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Team Leader responsibilities

• Identify the risks
• Take steps to reduce risks
• Establish policies to reduce the risk
• Know the MTW policy and follow it
• Know how abuse occurs
• Understand the local national laws where you
  work