BishopAccountability.org
	Safe Environment Programs, Reaching out Priority Issues for Bishops" Committee on Protection of Children, Young People Market Watch December 8, 2008 http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Safe-Environment-Programs-Reaching-Out/story.aspx?guid={4B4DD649-CA64-4A93-B81B-354778EBC2BB} WASHINGTON, Dec 08, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Catholic bishops must make safe environment programs and reaching out to those hurt by sexual abuse by clergy priority issues, said Bishop Blase Cupich, new chair of the bishops' Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People. Bishop Cupich of Rapid City, South Dakota, highlighted the issues in a December 8 letter to all members of the United Sates Conference of Catholic Bishops. He said he was grateful that "there are now fewer reports of credible instances of sexual abuse of children by clerics." In 2007, there were 12 credible instances of minors being abused. "That's twelve instances too many," he said. "However, even with the small number in a church of 67 million people, we dare not become complacent. The effects of the sin and crime of sexual abuse by a cleric are so horrific that we need to make sure that efforts to protect young people continue." He cited two priorities in this area. "Reaching out to those who have been harmed by sexual abuse by those in service to the church," is the first, he said. "We need to expand our efforts to make sure that everyone knows how to report instances of sexual abuse by a cleric or other church employee to both civil and church authorities," he said. "Placement of notices in church facilities, on diocesan Web sites in prominent locations and in the media has been one step to encouraging such a response, which can be otherwise daunting." "Prevention through Safe Environment programs in dioceses and parishes," is the second, he said. Since 2002, he said, "the Catholic Church has been unrelenting in its quest to be sure that the children entrusted to its care are safe." "Concern for child safety must be a hallmark of our schools, religious education programs, and other educational and parish activities," he said. "There is no room for mistakes in this area." "Child protection efforts outline specific steps to be followed so that decisions on what constitutes appropriate behavior between an adult and child are not based on biases or personal interpretations," he said. "These efforts also emphasize respect for boundaries between persons and empowerment of young people to resist what makes them uncomfortable. As we already have indicated, if we are to err in establishing and enforcing policies, it must be on the side of caution." Statistics that show that from 2003 through 2007, when the 2007 audits of the Catholic Church's safe environment programs were completed, the Catholic Church in the United States: 1. Trained more than 1.8 million clergy, employees, and volunteers in parishes in how to create safe environments and prevent child sexual abuse. 2. Prepared more than 5.8 million children to recognize abuse and protect themselves. 3. Ran criminal record checks on more than 1,535,000 volunteers and employees 162,700 educators, 51,000 clerics and 4,955 candidates for ordination. "Sexual exploitation of children is rampant in society," Bishop Cupich said. "Darkness to Light, a national child sexual abuse prevention program, for example, reports that one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. It also reports that an estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today." "As a church which confronts this problem firsthand, sadly we are in a position of knowing the horror of the problem and hopefully are in a position of knowing how to address it," he said. The complete letter follows. December 8, 2008 Your Eminences/Excellencies, As we approach the end of the 2008 audits of how dioceses implement the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, it is time to assess priorities so we can build on the admirable accomplishments in our dioceses and eparchies. As I begin chairmanship of the U.S. bishops' Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, I am grateful that there are now fewer reports of credible instances of sexual abuse of children by clerics. In 2007, there were 12 credible instances of minors being abused. That's twelve instances too many. However, even with the small number in a church of 67 million people, we dare not become complacent. The effects of the sin and crime of sexual abuse by a cleric are so horrific that we need to make sure that efforts to protect young people continue. At this time, I see two major priorities for the Church in this area. 1. Reaching out to those who have been harmed by sexual abuse by those in service to the church. Efforts to reach out are now part and parcel of church life and must continue to be so. We need to expand our efforts to make sure that everyone knows how to report instances of sexual abuse by a cleric or other church employee to both civil and church authorities. Enabling people to make a report has been a goal from the start. Placement of notices in church facilities, on diocesan Web sites in prominent locations and in the media has been one step to encouraging such a response, which can be otherwise daunting. Equally important, if not more so, is guaranteeing that those who contact the church with a complaint are treated compassionately and with respect. This is paramount. 1. Prevention through Safe Environment programs in dioceses and parishes. Since the establishment of the Charter in 2002, the Catholic Church has been unrelenting in its quest to be sure that the children entrusted to its care are safe. This must continue. As we outlined in the Charter, concern for child safety must be a hallmark of our schools, religious education programs, and other educational and parish activities. There is no room for mistakes in this area. In response to the Charter mandate in 2002, dioceses and parishes set up aggressive safe environment training programs that now are the envy of all other organizations that work with children. These child protection efforts outline specific steps to be followed so that decisions on what constitutes appropriate behavior between an adult and child are not based on biases or personal interpretations. These efforts also emphasize respect for boundaries between persons and empowerment of young people to resist what makes them uncomfortable. As we already have indicated, if we are to err in establishing and enforcing policies, it must be on the side of caution. We start now from a good place. From 2003 through 2007, when the last audit of how the Catholic Church's safe environment effort was completed, the Catholic Church in the United States: 1. Trained more than 1.8 million clergy, employees, and volunteers in parishes in how to create safe environments and prevent child sexual abuse. 2. Prepared more than 5.8 million children to recognize abuse and protect themselves. 3. Ran criminal record checks on more than 1,535,000 volunteers and employees, 162,700 educators, 51,000 clerics and 4,955 candidates for ordination. This is a record of accomplishment that deserves to be widely known and expanded by our ongoing commitment. At the start of 2009, I urge dioceses and parishes to make sure their safe environment programs are of the highest standards. I ask bishops and pastors to make sure that safe environment programs are in place in all church entities. I encourage parents to cooperate and support these efforts and to make known to church leaders their concerns and suggestions for improving and fully observing our safe environment protocols. Statistics tell us that sexual exploitation of children is rampant in society. Darkness to Light, a national child sexual abuse prevention program, for example, reports that one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. It also reports that an estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today. As a church which confronts this problem firsthand, sadly we are in a position of knowing the horror of the problem and hopefully, are in a position of knowing how to address it. I welcome your collaboration and suggestions. Fraternally yours, +Blase Cupich Chairman Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.