BishopAccountability.org
	Cases Pit Fairness, Safety By Josh Adams The Tennessean August 25, 2011 http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110825/WILLIAMSON01/308250008/Sex-abuse-cases-pit-fairness-safety In August of 2009, a stunned member of a large local church met with the senior pastor to convey an unpleasant message. The congregant, a married father with a teenage son, had been visited by detectives from the Franklin Police Department who were investigating a sexual relationship between the man’s son and a church volunteer. The boy, at the time, was 15. His abuser was then 29-year-old Monica Rankin who signed up with the People’s Church to lead one of its youth groups for teenagers. Rankin eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced earlier this month. Church leaders, meanwhile, never discussed the allegations with church members until news of Rankin’s indictment made headlines some 15 months after the senior pastor met with the boy’s father. Allegations of sexual abuse, particularly against children, often evoke strong emotional reactions and are thus handled by the criminal justice system with greater sensitivity. But outside the protocols followed by police departments and courtrooms are neighborhoods, churches and community groups where the rest of us wrangle with how to respond to such a delicate but devastating situation. Charges are shocking “All people have such a revulsion of the actual crime that when a mere allegation is made most of us have a hard time remembering that someone is innocent until proven guilty,” Bruce Horst, a Nashville defense attorney said. As a former prosecutor and now a defense attorney, Horst estimated his 20-year career has brought at least 400 to 500 cases involving sexual abuse across his desk. The gut instinct of trying to help a child in distress is understandable, said Horst, but the accused deserves to be heard. It’s difficult to erase “the stain” on a defendant’s reputation even if they’ve won their freedom, he said. When Rick White, the senior pastor at the People’s Church, learned of the allegation in 2009, police had not yet contacted the church to discuss their investigation. In fact, a spokesperson for the Franklin Police Department confirmed that detectives never approached church officials to talk about the case. Likewise, White never reached out to police for more information. That void, said White, is the reason for the church’s long silence. “You’ve got a minor involved, and his family. We’re obviously going to try and handle that as best as we could,” White said. “We just didn’t have anything to go public with. There was no indictment or anything.” White said other parents in the church were “very appreciative” of how the information was handled. Reaction should be constructive Linda O’Neal is the executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children, a government agency that advocates for children’s services and administers federal grants for juvenile justice programs. Whether it be a church, a school or any other organization, agencies that call on adult volunteers to work with kids must always put the child’s interests first, said O’Neal. If abuse is suspected the organization ought to discuss it with its members. That helps to put potential victims more at ease to come forward, she said, and can serve as an educational tool in case a child encounters inappropriate behavior elsewhere. “They really should talk about it in constructive ways,” O’Neal said. “They should talk with children that were served, especially younger children. You can do it without focusing on the person. Focus more on generally proactive training for staff and for children without saying that someone has been abused.” The parents of the teen victimized by Rankin declined to speak on the record with The Tennessean. The Williamson County Child Advocacy Center is focused on issues surrounding child abuse and often works with law enforcement. The center also also coordinates counseling and family services and provides educational programs on preventing abuse. Executive Director Marcus Stamps said there is no uniform way for agencies to internally address a case of abuse, but said the primary responsibility has to be protecting the kids. “There are circumstances and situations, either through confidentiality or a criminal investigation, where you may be prohibited from discussing everything,” Stamps said. “But you always have to err on the side of protecting the child.” In Tennessee, the law obligates anyone who even suspects a child is being abused to notify authorities. The state’s Child Abuse Hotline is 877-237-0004. O’Neal offered that a “very, very, very small percentage” of volunteers are responsible for child abuse cases in Tennessee. Primarily, she said, it’s a family member or friend of the family. Nevertheless, screening prospective volunteers who’ll work with children is a must, and at the very least O’Neal recommends a check of that person’s criminal history. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation can perform a background check for $29, and a spokeswoman for the office agreed with O’Neal’s assessment that it’s a good first step. The Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, which has offices in Franklin and Fairview, saw more than 300 volunteers come through its doors last year and everyone of them was screened, according to Dan Jernigan, president and CEO. Working here and in other states, Jernigan said he’s never had to handle an allegation that a volunteer was abusing a child, but acknowledged there’s always a risk. “That’s the thing about background checks, it only tells you their past,” Jernigan said. “It doesn’t tell you their future.” Rankin had no criminal history when she began volunteering at the Franklin church. Contact Josh Adams at 615-771-5417 or jadams@tennessean.com
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.