|
Local News
Aug. 17, 2006
Phoenix Diocese revises sexual abuse policy
Updated system aims to identify predators early on
By Claudia I. Provencio
The Catholic Sun
Parishioners who work with minors or who wish to work with minors in the future will be seeing big changes in diocesan policy and programs aimed at deterring sexual predators.
As part of the Phoenix Diocese’s revised sexual abuse policy, all volunteers must fill out a three-page application that requires references and background information, and new volunteers will undergo a face-to-face interview with officials at their local parish.
“I know if we don’t take this bold step,
we are going to be behind other child-serving organizations,” said Jennifer King, who heads up the Safe Environment Training for the local Church.
“Statistically, abusers will walk away from applications or we are going to catch them in something they said,” King added. “So we have a chance to prevent them from having access to our children.”
While King acknowledges this new screening process may be taxing to already overworked staff, she said, “The only thing I can say is thank you… this is the right thing to do.”
In addition, registered parishioners will have their names cross-referenced with the Arizona Sex Offender Web site on a monthly basis.
Although these changes may be jarring at first to some Catholics, King said the revised policy is necessary as it also includes more approachable language and realistic expectations to keep both the minister and the child safe.
The revised policy includes a list of appropriate and inappropriate interactions between Church staff, volunteers and minors. “We were getting paralyzed and we weren’t being Christ to our people, which is not what we want to do,” she said.
“So if a little kindergartner is running up to you and wants to grab your leg, you’re not kicking them off because you’re afraid to hug them,” she added.
The Phoenix Diocese has had a sexual abuse policy in place since 1990 and was one of the first dioceses in the country to have such a policy for clergy, employees and volunteers.
In addition to establishing higher standards in its fourth revision of the policy, the diocese is unveiling a revamped Safe Environment Training program that emphasizes the prevention of sexual abuse.
A video highlighting the new program — “Called to Protect,” created by abuse risk management company Praesidium Inc. — will be shown at all parishes this month through September.
The program will make it easier for clergy, Church employees and volunteers to be trained in protecting children from sexual abuse and for the first time, all parents, including those who do not serve in a volunteer capacity at their children’s school or parish, are invited to take part.
“The invitation to all parents is with the understanding that it is the parents that are most involved in their children’s lives,” said Fr. Fred Adamson, vicar general and moderator of the Curia for the diocese. He said family education centers around “the dignity of the human body and proper respect.”
Parents “need to be aware of ways to provide environments that are safe and to know how to respond when they are not,” he said. “This is an opportunity that goes beyond the interactions that occur at a parish, but will also impact the way the family interacts in every situation in life — school, family, etc.”
By implementing these changes, the diocese hopes to create a broader educational forum to help the public in identifying patterns of predatory behavior and signs that a child has been abused.
“We recognize that abuse is a sad reality in our society and that we the Church have a great role to protect minors and to educate the people of God on how we can work together to do so,” Fr. Adamson said.
“I think we as a Church are continuing to gain a deeper understanding of how we can be leaders in education, prevention and healing,” he added. “We have learned a great deal over the past few years and will continue to evaluate and improve spreading the love and teachings of Christ.”
Previous programs “unfortunately left a bad taste in people’s mouths, not because the information was bad, but perhaps because of how it was presented,” King said. “This will be better because it’s strategically planned, we’ve got a great product and I have been working with people in their own backyard.”
King has trained nearly 300 people to be trainers who, in turn, train others at their local parishes. Clergy, employees and volunteers who work with children must be trained yearly, while all other volunteers will be trained every other year.
Parishioners can register for classes using a new Web-based database. To eliminate the need for repetitive training sessions if an individual volunteers at multiple locations — a problem in years past — volunteers can provide access to their training records for up to five locations.
“We know the warning signs before abuse happens and we also unfortunately know the signs if abuse is happening,” King said.
“If people come to these programs and they can learn those signs, they are going to be able to prevent abuse and, God forbid, if there has been abuse, get that child healing more quickly,” she added. “It really teaches how perpetrators work and everyone must find an hour and a half to find that out. It will make a difference in a child’s life.”
|
