AUSTRALIA
The Australian
Jill Rowbotham, Religious affairs writer
September 12, 2005
CHILDREN are at the greatest risk of sexual abuse in churches when they are members of a youth group, a child protection expert has warned.
Professor Patrick Parkinson told aAbuse Tracker Council of Churches of Australia conference in Canberra that Sunday schools in which there was a group of children with several leaders were relatively benign environments because there was limited potential for an adult to be alone with a child.
However, he said, youth groups could be a problem. "I am saying, do not just appoint youth leaders and leave them to it - keep an eye on them," the head of the University of Sydney's law school said.
"(Because of) the emerging sexuality of teenagers you get quite a few cases of apparently consensual relationships; the kids are willing participants because they are 'seduced' by a charismatic youth leader. They are more likely to be alone with the leader and there is more likely to be social interaction outside of the youth group."